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Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Government and Public AdministrationO*NET 33-3021.00United States

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$93,787

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+3.2%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

32.5% of the workforce

Employment
124.36K jobs

Growing to 128.33K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What detectives and criminal investigators do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • 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 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.
  • Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
  • Obtain summary of incident from officer in charge at crime scene, taking care to avoid disturbing evidence.
  • Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene.
  • Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.
  • Secure persons at scene, keeping witnesses from conversing or leaving the scene before investigators arrive.
  • Search for and collect evidence, such as fingerprints, using investigative equipment.
  • Examine records to locate links in chains of evidence or information.
  • Provide information to lab personnel concerning the source of an item of evidence and tests to be performed.
  • Analyze completed police reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed.
  • Determine scope, timing, and direction of investigations.
  • Prepare and serve search and arrest warrants.
  • Question individuals or observe persons and establishments to confirm information given to patrol officers.
  • Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.
  • Participate or assist in raids and arrests.
  • Organize scene search, assigning specific tasks and areas of search to individual officers and obtaining adequate lighting as necessary.
  • Summon medical help for injured individuals and alert medical personnel to take statements from them.
  • Notify command of situation and request assistance.
  • Block or rope off scene and check perimeter to ensure that entire scene is secured.
  • Notify, or request notification of, medical examiner or district attorney representative.
  • Identify case issues and evidence needed, based on analysis of charges, complaints, or allegations of law violations.
  • Collaborate with other offices and agencies to exchange information and coordinate activities.
  • Maintain surveillance of establishments to obtain identifying information on suspects.
  • Testify before grand juries concerning criminal activity investigations.
  • Perform undercover assignments and maintain surveillance, including monitoring authorized wiretaps.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$55,390
25th percentile
$69,326
50th percentile
$93,787
75th percentile
$120,515
90th percentile
$160,534

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $93,787 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+3.2%average or slower
2025124,362 jobs
2035 projected128,329 jobs

3,967 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
32.5%
Associate degree
20%
Certificate
19.7%
Some college
17.9%
Bachelor's degree
10%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Law Enforcement
  • Audiometer
  • Visual Acuity
  • Criminal Investigation
  • Auditing
  • Cyber Security
  • Physical Fitness
  • Legal Hearings
  • International Laws
  • Search Warrant
  • Accounting
  • Evidence Collection
  • Lawsuits
  • Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Law
  • Fraud Investigation
  • Finance
  • Narcotics
  • Court Proceedings
  • Data Analysis

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Systems Evaluation
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Special Agents1,039 postings
  2. 02Criminal Investigators560 postings
  3. 03Investigators418 postings
  4. 04Financial Investigators158 postings
  5. 05Certified Public Accountants127 postings
  6. 06Family Law Legal Assistants124 postings
  7. 07Supervisory Criminal Investigators123 postings
  8. 08Fraud Investigators108 postings
  9. 09Crime Scene Investigators100 postings
  10. 10Cybersecurity Technicians95 postings
  11. 11Investigative Technicians92 postings
  12. 12Criminal Investigator Special Agents89 postings
  13. 13Law Enforcement Investigators79 postings
  14. 14Special Investigators76 postings
  15. 15Investigations Managers66 postings
  16. 16Investigative Specialists61 postings
  17. 17Technical Implementation Managers57 postings
  18. 18Protective Services Officers43 postings
  19. 19Law Enforcement Specialists39 postings
  20. 20Detectives33 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Association Of Former Agents Of The United States Secret Service1,014 postings
  2. 02Federal Bureau of Investigation468 postings
  3. 03United States Department of Justice143 postings
  4. 04State of South Carolina84 postings
  5. 05Contact Government Services73 postings
  6. 06State Of Colorado65 postings
  7. 07State of Florida59 postings
  8. 08SolomonEdwards56 postings
  9. 09State Of Texas55 postings
  10. 10New York City50 postings
  11. 11Walt Disney49 postings
  12. 12State of Washington42 postings
  13. 13Nys Department Of Civil Service40 postings
  14. 14State of Minnesota39 postings
  15. 15Bureau Of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives38 postings
  16. 16State of California27 postings
  17. 17Team Georgia26 postings
  18. 18Clay County District Schools Bus Maintenance25 postings
  19. 19Leoforce25 postings
  20. 20Ruchman And Associates25 postings

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