Careers / Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Detectives and Criminal Investigators — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
Opens your browser print dialog — choose “Save as PDF”.
Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$93,790
United States, 2025
Employment
114,430
United States, 2025
Typical education
Not recorded
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
- O*NET code
- 33-3021.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
- Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.
- 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 facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
- 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.
- Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$55,390
25th percentile
$69,330
75th percentile
$120,520
90th percentile
$160,540
Most important skills
- Active Listening4.5
- Speaking4.3
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Social Perceptiveness4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Active Learning3.8
- Writing3.8
- Monitoring3.6
- Coordination3.6
- Persuasion3.4
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 15 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
15
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.5 | 4.5 | Not selected | 4.5 |
| Speaking | 4.3 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.1 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Writing | 3.8 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.6 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Persuasion | 3.4 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Negotiation | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $38,020
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSupplemental
National median $64,920
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSupplemental
National median $80,730
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSupplemental
National median $117,860
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSupplemental
National median $42,540
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSupplemental
National median $76,210
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSupplemental
National median $58,940
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSupplemental
National median $77,970
Compare with Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC | $160,760 | 2,980 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $158,640 | 280 | 2025 |
| Brunswick, GA | $158,060 | 240 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $156,750 | 4,830 | 2025 |
| Oxnard, CA | $153,570 | 70 | 2025 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $140,750 | 350 | 2025 |
| Great Falls, MT | $136,120 | 40 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $133,100 | 60 | 2025 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $130,810 | 40 | 2025 |
| Baltimore, MD | $128,440 | 490 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $127,890 | 3,240 | 2025 |
| Riverside, CA | $127,420 | 1,510 | 2025 |
| MD | $126,730 | 1,010 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $126,700 | 690 | 2025 |
| Anchorage, AK | $125,240 | 90 | 2025 |
| CA | $124,840 | 12,610 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $124,840 | 2,990 | 2025 |
| El Centro, CA | $123,970 | 770 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $123,820 | 740 | 2025 |
| Bellingham, WA | $122,840 | 260 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Detectives and Criminal Investigators to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.