Store detective vs detective investigator

The differences between store detectives and detective investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a store detective and a detective investigator. Additionally, a detective investigator has an average salary of $53,616, which is higher than the $32,824 average annual salary of a store detective.

The top three skills for a store detective include store management, cash handling and CCTV. The most important skills for a detective investigator are physical evidence, patrol, and law enforcement agencies.

Store detective vs detective investigator overview

	Store Detective	Detective Investigator
Yearly salary	$32,824	$53,616
Hourly rate	$15.78	$25.78
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	67,322	20,213
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

Store detective vs detective investigator salary

Store detectives and detective investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Store Detective	Detective Investigator
Average salary	$32,824	$53,616
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $41,000	Between $37,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between store detective and detective investigator education

There are a few differences between a store detective and a detective investigator in terms of educational background:

	Store Detective	Detective Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Store detective vs detective investigator demographics

Here are the differences between store detectives' and detective investigators' demographics:

	Store Detective	Detective Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 73.9% Female, 26.1%	Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 4.7% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 4.6% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between store detective and detective investigator duties and responsibilities

Store detective example responsibilities.

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Patrol and secure perimeter of the facility and grounds.
Keep vigilant patrol over the store's sales areas to ensure a safe shopping experience for customers.
Conduct daily surveillance using CCTV system and undercover observation.
Initiate and conduct investigations concerning illegal narcotics and firearms trafficking and perform official duty as an undercover operative during those investigations.
Conduct safety and EAS audits.

Detective investigator example responsibilities.

Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
Prepare in-depth detail reports including arrest warrants, search warrants, subpoenas and court orders for criminal prosecution.
Prepare subpoenas and search warrants for account information from various companies and entities for follow-up investigations.
Analyze high risk transaction activity and provide final approval of investigative case analyses utilize for SAR preparation and filing.
Establish a review procedure with IRS and assign an analyst.

Store detective vs detective investigator skills

Common store detective skills

Store Management, 25%
Cash Handling, 21%
CCTV, 19%
Sales Floor, 8%
Law Enforcement Officials, 5%
Financial Crimes, 4%

Common detective investigator skills

Physical Evidence, 14%
Patrol, 12%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 7%
Insurance Fraud, 5%
Homicide, 5%
Electronic Surveillance, 4%

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Protective Service Industry
Store Detective
Store Detective vs Detective Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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