Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Also called: Burglary Investigator, City Detective, Counter Intelligence Agent, Crime Analyst, Crime Investigator Special Agent, Criminal Analyst, Criminal Investigations Agent, Criminal Investigative Agent
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
What detectives and criminal investigators do
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.
- Determine scope, timing, and direction of investigations.
- Search for and collect evidence, such as fingerprints, using investigative equipment.
- Organize scene search, assigning specific tasks and areas of search to individual officers and obtaining adequate lighting as necessary.
- Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary
The median annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators is $93,790 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $55,390 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $160,540. The mean annual wage is $99,430.
The mean hourly wage of $47.00 is 6.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Detectives and Criminal Investigators (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $93,790 → in 3 years $102,200 → in 5 years $108,200 → in 10 years $124,900 (10-year range $107,400–$145,000). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Detectives and Criminal Investigators? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators United States | 税関職員 Japan | 入国警備官 Japan | 麻薬取締官 Japan | 入国審査官 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $93,790 | ¥3.35M ≈ $21,320 | ¥3.35M ≈ $21,320 | — ≈ — | ¥5.29M ≈ $33,620 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $124,900 | ¥4.73M | ¥4.73M | — | ¥6.01M |
| Outlook score | 49 | 71 | 64 | 51 | 36 |
| AI replacement risk | 37% Low | — | 52% Moderate | 64% High | 75% High |
| Workers | 114K | — | — | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become detectives and criminal investigators
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as detectives and criminal investigators
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.