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The differences between special investigators and supervisorsy special agent can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a special investigator and a supervisory special agent. Additionally, a supervisory special agent has an average salary of $67,204, which is higher than the $50,623 average annual salary of a special investigator.
The top three skills for a special investigator include law enforcement agencies, background checks and child abuse. The most important skills for a supervisory special agent are law enforcement agencies, fraud investigations, and criminal investigations.
| Special Investigator | Supervisory Special Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $50,623 | $67,204 |
| Hourly rate | $24.34 | $32.31 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 14,799 | 87,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A special investigator is responsible for gathering information and analyzing evidence to identify criminal activities and law-violating instances. Special investigators review surveillance devices, interview witnesses, and coordinate with law enforcement agencies to collect related reports. They sort and store documents securely on databases for reference, confirm statements, and assist in court procedures for in-depth investigation. A special investigator must be highly communicative and observational, especially in organizing materials and verifying information to support claims and file the appropriate legal actions.
A supervisory special agent leads teams of special agents in investigations. His/Her or her duties include delegating assignments, performing field interviews, examining suspects' financial records, and monitoring wiretaps. Supervisory special agents should have good judgment and possess excellent communication skills. They are often hired by industries such as government and finance. The education requirements to qualify for the position include a bachelor's or master's degree in criminal justice, business, law, or a related field.
Special investigators and supervisorsy special agent have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Investigator | Supervisory Special Agent | |
| Average salary | $50,623 | $67,204 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $80,000 | Between $46,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lompoc, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | - |
| Best paying company | City of Los Angeles | - |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | - |
There are a few differences between a special investigator and a supervisory special agent in terms of educational background:
| Special Investigator | Supervisory Special Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between special investigators' and supervisorsy special agent' demographics:
| Special Investigator | Supervisory Special Agent | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |