Traffic investigator vs investigator

The differences between traffic investigators and investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a traffic investigator, becoming an investigator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an investigator has an average salary of $71,406, which is higher than the $48,535 average annual salary of a traffic investigator.

The top three skills for a traffic investigator include patrol, traffic safety and physical evidence. The most important skills for an investigator are law enforcement agencies, management system, and customer service.

Traffic investigator vs investigator overview

	Traffic Investigator	Investigator
Yearly salary	$48,535	$71,406
Hourly rate	$23.33	$34.33
Growth rate	3%	6%
Number of jobs	6,113	5,085
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	6

Traffic investigator vs investigator salary

Traffic investigators and investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Traffic Investigator	Investigator
Average salary	$48,535	$71,406
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $71,000	Between $42,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Apple
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between traffic investigator and investigator education

There are a few differences between a traffic investigator and an investigator in terms of educational background:

	Traffic Investigator	Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	Savannah State University	California State University - Bakersfield

Traffic investigator vs investigator demographics

Here are the differences between traffic investigators' and investigators' demographics:

	Traffic Investigator	Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%	Male, 56.6% Female, 43.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 7.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 6.6% White, 52.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.8%	Black or African American, 13.5% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 4.7% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between traffic investigator and investigator duties and responsibilities

Traffic investigator example responsibilities.

Draft and execute subpoenas, search warrants, arrest warrants, and surveillance activities.
Investigate allegations of abuse and neglect of the elderly and mentally handicap citizens residing in Medicaid or state operate facilities.
Skil with the use and maintenance of firearms.
Investigate allegations of abuse and neglect of the elderly and mentally handicap citizens residing in Medicaid or state operate facilities.

Investigator example responsibilities.

Participate in and lead the controlled purchase of illegal narcotics and firearms to apprehend suspects.
Manage all business reporting to include; payroll, taxes, client billing, account reconciliations and compliance reports.
Manage corporate-wide document production relative to complex litigation cases.
Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
Collaborate with federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF and IRS.
Write a detail case report, and attach all supporting documentation necessary to write up SAR's where necessary per BSA.

Traffic investigator vs investigator skills

Common traffic investigator skills

Patrol, 17%
Traffic Safety, 16%
Physical Evidence, 16%
Criminal Investigations, 10%
Traffic Accidents, 9%
Traffic Control, 8%

Common investigator skills

Law Enforcement Agencies, 7%
Management System, 6%
Customer Service, 5%
Criminal Justice, 5%
Senior Level Management, 4%
Child Abuse, 4%

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Traffic Investigator
Traffic Investigator vs Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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