Becoming an Investigator via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Everest University, one of the highest ranking online
schools,
is a US school (accredited) offering crime scene investigation courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
crime scene investigators,
investigators,
personal investigators,
crime scene forensics specialists,
forensics professionals,
forensic science technicians, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 101,760 people employed as
medical scientists alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$84,760.
Private detectives and investigators make on average $47,130
per year and there are about 31,250
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like Everest University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for an Investigator
- police department
- investigative agency
- detective agency
- security firm
- government agency
- forensic department
- airport
- safety board
- public safety office
- law firm
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Investigator
- work your own hours
- name your own price
- work alone
- meet interesting people
- no dress code
- eat and drink and smoke when you want
- spy on people
- catch the bad guy
- get to travel
- accommodations are paid for
Potential Drawbacks
- high stress
- long hours
- no set hours
- work in unpleasant conditions
- some physical activity
- burnout
- exposure to disturbing situations
- travel is necessary
- stuck in the office sometimes
- reporting to court to testify
Related Professions to Consider
- Field Investigator
- Background Investigator
- Scientific Investigator
- Claims Investigator
- Insurance Fraud Investigator
- SES Investigator
- Senior Investigator
- Marine Investigator
- Criminal Investigator
- Principal Investigator
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Investigator
- What type of training do you have?
- Do you have a criminal justice education?
- What types of criminal justice experience do you have?
- Why do you want to get into this career?
- Do you have any reasons why you wouldn't be a good fit for this job?
- Do you work best on your own or in a team?
- Why should we hire you?
- Do you have a proven track-record in investigation?
- What are your career goals?
- Do you have a license?
Common Collaborating Professions
- firefighter
- forensic lab technician
- police officer
- secretary
- hotel manager
- taxi cab driver
- detective
- police chief
- bank teller
- crime scene investigator
Investigator Training books
Investigator (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- ntro to Criminal Justice
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Intro to Law Enforcement
- Criminal Procedure
- American Criminal Courts
- Criminological Theory
- Corrections
- Drug Abuse
- Criminal Law
- Victimology
Investigator Salary Information
Category: Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
| Total # Employed in the US |
101,760 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$40.75/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $19.87 |
$25.77 |
$35.86 |
$49.55 |
$66.75 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$84,760 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $41,320 |
$53,600 |
$74,590 |
$103,060 |
$138,840 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.2% |
0.8% |
0.7% |
0.6% |
12.6% |
24.6% |
60.6% |
|
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Puerto Rico |
$58.1/hr
|
$120,850
|
| North Dakota |
$54.26/hr
|
$112,870
|
| Kansas |
$53.78/hr
|
$111,870
|
| Pennsylvania |
$50.31/hr
|
$104,640
|
| Utah |
$46.36/hr
|
$96,420
|
| Florida |
$46.05/hr
|
$95,790
|
| Mississippi |
$45.79/hr
|
$95,240
|
| Delaware |
$45.4/hr
|
$94,430
|
| West Virginia |
$45.16/hr
|
$93,920
|
| Massachusetts |
$44.93/hr
|
$93,450
|
| Tennessee |
$44.45/hr
|
$92,450
|
| Oklahoma |
$43.49/hr
|
$90,460
|
| Missouri |
$43.15/hr
|
$89,750
|
| Michigan |
$42.89/hr
|
$89,200
|
| Colorado |
$42.38/hr
|
$88,140
|
| District of Columbia |
$41.78/hr
|
$86,900
|
| Oregon |
$40.86/hr
|
$85,000
|
| Hawaii |
$39.99/hr
|
$83,170
|
| Connecticut |
$36.05/hr
|
$74,980
|
| Montana |
$35.26/hr
|
$73,350
|
| Louisiana |
$34.56/hr
|
$71,890
|
| Idaho |
$34.23/hr
|
$71,190
|
| Arkansas |
$34.15/hr
|
$71,030
|
| Maine |
$33.59/hr
|
$69,870
|
| New Hampshire |
$33.32/hr
|
$69,300
|
| South Carolina |
$32.99/hr
|
$68,620
|
| Virginia |
$32.68/hr
|
$67,970
|
| Nebraska |
$31.8/hr
|
$66,140
|
| Indiana |
$31.12/hr
|
$64,730
|
| Wyoming |
$30.95/hr
|
$64,390
|
| Guam |
$30.7/hr
|
$63,860
|
| Nevada |
$30.04/hr
|
$62,470
|
| Kentucky |
$29.16/hr
|
$60,650
|
| New Jersey |
$28.41/hr
|
$59,080
|
| New York |
$28.23/hr
|
$58,730
|
| California |
$27.68/hr
|
$57,570
|
| South Dakota |
$26.65/hr
|
$55,430
|
| Washington |
$26.64/hr
|
$55,410
|
| Ohio |
$26.49/hr
|
$55,090
|
| Wisconsin |
$26.47/hr
|
$55,060
|
| Iowa |
$26.29/hr
|
$54,670
|
| Alabama |
$25.83/hr
|
$53,720
|
| New Mexico |
$25.2/hr
|
$52,420
|
| Maryland |
$24.88/hr
|
$51,740
|
Category: Private detectives and investigators
| Total # Employed in the US |
31,250 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$22.66/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $11.88 |
$15.45 |
$20.25 |
$27.84 |
$36.52 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$47,130 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $24,700 |
$32,140 |
$42,110 |
$57,910 |
$75,970 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 1.4% |
14.1% |
24.1% |
10.6% |
37.4% |
9.6% |
2.7% |
|
Private detectives and investigators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Ohio |
$31.12/hr
|
$64,730
|
| North Dakota |
$29.69/hr
|
$61,750
|
| Alaska |
$28.68/hr
|
$59,650
|
| District of Columbia |
$28.57/hr
|
$59,430
|
| Colorado |
$28.19/hr
|
$58,630
|
| California |
$26.4/hr
|
$54,910
|
| Louisiana |
$25.85/hr
|
$53,770
|
| Maine |
$24.63/hr
|
$51,240
|
| New York |
$24.59/hr
|
$51,140
|
| Oklahoma |
$23.74/hr
|
$49,390
|
| Wyoming |
$22.86/hr
|
$47,550
|
| Utah |
$22.4/hr
|
$46,590
|
| Hawaii |
$22.35/hr
|
$46,490
|
| Kansas |
$22.3/hr
|
$46,380
|
| Mississippi |
$22.1/hr
|
$45,960
|
| South Dakota |
$22.02/hr
|
$45,800
|
| Delaware |
$21.57/hr
|
$44,860
|
| Virginia |
$21.36/hr
|
$44,430
|
| Connecticut |
$21.26/hr
|
$44,220
|
| Montana |
$21.2/hr
|
$44,100
|
| South Carolina |
$21.03/hr
|
$43,740
|
| Nevada |
$20.93/hr
|
$43,530
|
| Oregon |
$20.84/hr
|
$43,350
|
| Kentucky |
$20.83/hr
|
$43,320
|
| Tennessee |
$20.59/hr
|
$42,840
|
| Arkansas |
$20.29/hr
|
$42,210
|
| Wisconsin |
$19.87/hr
|
$41,330
|
| Alabama |
$19.85/hr
|
$41,280
|
| Idaho |
$19.41/hr
|
$40,380
|
| Nebraska |
$19.13/hr
|
$39,800
|
| North Carolina |
$18.99/hr
|
$39,500
|
| Guam |
$18.96/hr
|
$39,430
|
| New Hampshire |
$18.58/hr
|
$38,650
|
| Washington |
$18.38/hr
|
$38,240
|
| Massachusetts |
$18.19/hr
|
$37,840
|
| Iowa |
$18.18/hr
|
$37,820
|
| Michigan |
$17.95/hr
|
$37,330
|
| Missouri |
$17.81/hr
|
$37,050
|
| Maryland |
$16.5/hr
|
$34,310
|
| Pennsylvania |
$14.51/hr
|
$30,170
|
| West Virginia |
$13.34/hr
|
$27,740
|
Category: Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
| Total # Employed in the US |
247,900 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$26.49/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $14.98 |
$17.83 |
$23.92 |
$32.54 |
$42.12 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$55,100 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $31,170 |
$37,080 |
$49,750 |
$67,680 |
$87,610 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 1.2% |
12.8% |
20.9% |
10.3% |
36.9% |
14.1% |
3.8% |
|
Category: Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
| Total # Employed in the US |
153,720 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$31.16/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $16.87 |
$21.18 |
$28.05 |
$37.63 |
$49.31 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$64,810 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $35,100 |
$44,050 |
$58,350 |
$78,280 |
$102,560 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 2.2% |
15.8% |
21.1% |
10.0% |
34.1% |
13.9% |
2.9% |
|
Category: Police Detectives
| Total # Employed in the US |
110,380 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$31.66/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $18.25 |
$22.63 |
$29.86 |
$40.22 |
$48.07 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$65,860 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $37,960 |
$47,070 |
$62,110 |
$83,650 |
$99,980 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.5% |
10.0% |
25.9% |
12.1% |
40.2% |
9.6% |
1.8% |
|
Category: Criminal Investigators and Special Agents
| Total # Employed in the US |
110,380 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$31.66/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $18.25 |
$22.63 |
$29.86 |
$40.22 |
$48.07 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$65,860 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $37,960 |
$47,070 |
$62,110 |
$83,650 |
$99,980 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.5% |
10.0% |
25.9% |
12.1% |
40.2% |
9.6% |
1.8% |
|
