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Detectives and Criminal Investigators: Job Description
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
What Tasks Do Detectives and Criminal Investigators Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of detectives and criminal investigators cover:
- Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse.
- Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
- Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
- Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
- Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
- Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.
- Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.
- Obtain summary of incident from officer in charge at crime scene, taking care to avoid disturbing evidence.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective detectives and criminal investigators draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Air Marshal
- Burglary Investigator
- CIA Agent (Central Intelligence Agency Agent)
- Child Support Agent
- Child Support Investigator
- Child Support Officer
- City Detective
- Counter Intelligence Agent
How Many Detectives and Criminal Investigators Are There?
There are about 410,420 detectives and criminal investigators working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +14.5% over the projection horizon.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $64,492 |
| Hourly median | $31.01 |
| 10th percentile | $37,179 |
| 25th percentile | $50,836 |
| 75th percentile | $78,148 |
| 90th percentile | $91,805 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Detectives and Criminal Investigators Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $125,630 |
| California | $122,140 |
| Alaska | $121,140 |
| Washington | $116,450 |
| New Jersey | $113,830 |
| Hawaii | $112,100 |
| Massachusetts | $111,460 |
| Virginia | $110,220 |
| Oregon | $107,450 |
| Vermont | $104,330 |
| New York | $103,340 |
| Arizona | $103,270 |
| Colorado | $102,910 |
| Nebraska | $99,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,740 |
| Montana | $95,640 |
| Nevada | $95,590 |
| Connecticut | $95,420 |
| Wisconsin | $92,910 |
| Michigan | $92,560 |
| West Virginia | $90,690 |
| New Hampshire | $90,050 |
| Texas | $89,860 |
| Illinois | $89,740 |
| Rhode Island | $88,780 |
| Delaware | $88,350 |
| New Mexico | $86,840 |
| North Dakota | $84,580 |
| Minnesota | $82,330 |
| Maine | $80,750 |
| Wyoming | $80,250 |
| Missouri | $78,670 |
| Florida | $78,290 |
| Ohio | $77,940 |
| Idaho | $77,460 |
| Kentucky | $77,440 |
| Oklahoma | $77,440 |
| Iowa | $77,440 |
| South Dakota | $77,440 |
| Indiana | $74,600 |
| Utah | $74,530 |
| Tennessee | $72,800 |
| Kansas | $68,180 |
| Puerto Rico | $66,840 |
| Alabama | $66,020 |
| Georgia | $64,990 |
| South Carolina | $63,060 |
| North Carolina | $62,480 |
| Louisiana | $59,500 |
| Mississippi | $56,310 |
| Arkansas | $53,460 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for detectives and criminal investigators vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $119,744 | 14.0% | 0.86 |
| Middle Atlantic | $105,564 | 15.5% | 1.13 |
| New England | $97,494 | 3.4% | 0.79 |
| Rocky Mountains | $93,204 | 3.5% | 0.92 |
| Southwest | $91,672 | 24.5% | 1.97 |
| Great Lakes | $86,404 | 9.2% | 0.64 |
| Plains States | $79,153 | 5.2% | 0.82 |
| Southeast | $73,501 | 24.2% | 1.01 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | MD | $157,270 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $156,890 | 260 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | GA | $155,110 | 220 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $153,340 | 4,760 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $143,250 | 70 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $129,880 | 40 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $129,370 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $127,980 | 3,070 |
Top Industries Employing Detectives and Criminal Investigators
The bulk of detectives and criminal investigators are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 440 | $115,070 |
| Educational Services | 280 | $82,990 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 60 | $85,650 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Detectives and Criminal Investigators Use
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of detectives and criminal investigators tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
How to Become Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Typical detectives and criminal investigators positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Compliance Officers (Supplemental)
- Coroners (Primary-Long)
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Forensic Science Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Lawyers (Supplemental)
- Judicial Law Clerks (Supplemental)
- Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (Supplemental)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-3021.00 (Detectives and Criminal Investigators).
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