Law Enforcement & Investigation
Criminal Investigator
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
Also called: CSI (Crime Scene Investigator) · Criminal Investigator · Detective · Fugitive Detective · Fugitive Investigator · Investigator · Narcotics Detective · Narcotics Investigator
O*NET-SOC 33-3021.00 (Detectives and Criminal Investigators)
Criminal Investigator salary
Wages for detectives and criminal investigators across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $45.09.
Criminal Investigator pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $78,280 | $124,840 | $165,510 |
| Texas | $52,510 | $90,510 | $132,850 |
| Florida | $50,050 | $77,060 | $162,450 |
| New York | $62,130 | $101,240 | $166,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,770 | $97,580 | $154,360 |
| Illinois | $53,960 | $91,190 | $157,060 |
| Ohio | $56,840 | $79,300 | $151,200 |
| Georgia | $46,790 | $65,430 | $149,030 |
| North Carolina | $50,260 | $63,280 | $137,550 |
| Michigan | $71,590 | $90,650 | $164,670 |
Criminal Investigator job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 120,500 jobs in 2025 to 120,700 in 2035 (0% change).
- About 7,800 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Below Average.
How to become a criminal investigator
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years work experience
- On-the-job training
- 1 to 12 months on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma.4%
- High school diploma or equivalent8.2%
- Some college, no degree19%
- Associate's degree8.8%
- Bachelor's degree44.1%
- Master's degree17.5%
- Doctoral or professional degree2.1%
Related training programs
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Criminal Justice/Police Science
- Criminalistics and Criminal Science
- Cultural/Archaelogical Resources Protection
- Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation
- Geospatial Intelligence
- Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis
- Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing
- Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management
- Maritime Law Enforcement
What does a criminal investigator do?
Common tasks
- Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
- Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.
- Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
- Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.
- Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
- Analyze completed police reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed.
- Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene.
- Determine scope, timing, and direction of investigations.
- Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
- Search for and collect evidence, such as fingerprints, using investigative equipment.
Most important skills
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
- Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Criminal Investigator certifications
8 of 15 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- International Association of Crime Analysts · Core
- McAfee Institute · Advanced
- McAfee Institute · Advanced
- International Security Certification Board · Core
- American Board of Criminalistics · Advanced
- American Correctional Association · Specialty
- National Association of Legal Investigators · Core
- McAfee Institute · Advanced
See all 15certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Criminal Investigator jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more law enforcement & investigation jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Law Enforcement & Investigation jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
Related careers
- Private Detectives and Investigators
- Police Officer
- Police Identification and Records Officers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Intelligence Analyst
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
- Forensic Science Technicians
- Coroners
- Transit and Railroad Police
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
More law enforcement & investigation careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Detectives and Criminal Investigators. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.