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Job outlook for investigators in the United States
Investigator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected investigator job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 2,100 new jobs for investigators are projected over the next decade.
Investigator salaries have increased 11% for investigators in the last 5 years.
There are over 26,173 investigators currently employed in the United States.
There are 5,085 active investigator job openings in the US.
The average investigator salary is $71,406.
Are investigator jobs in demand?
Investigator job and salary trends over time
Investigator jobs over time
Investigator job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,173 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 27,990 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 29,618 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 27,060 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 27,215 | 0.01% |
Average investigator salary over time
Investigator salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $71,406 | $34.33 | +5.6% |
| 2024 | $67,643 | $32.52 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | $67,080 | $32.25 | --1.2% |
| 2022 | $67,897 | $32.64 | +5.2% |
| 2021 | $64,536 | $31.03 | +5.7% |
Investigator jobs by state
Most common states for investigators
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 162 | 23% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 228 | 12% |
| 3 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 512 | 11% |
| 4 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 614 | 10% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 96 | 10% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 70 | 9% |
| 7 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 943 | 8% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 656 | 8% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 473 | 8% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 87 | 8% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 908 | 7% |
| 12 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 658 | 7% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 498 | 7% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 302 | 7% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 219 | 7% |
| 16 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,250 | 6% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 390 | 6% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 376 | 6% |
| 19 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 354 | 6% |
| 20 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 85 | 6% |
Most common cities for investigators
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $78,673 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 5 | 5% | $69,560 |
| 3 | Little Rock | 5 | 3% | $68,847 |
| 4 | Hartford | 4 | 3% | $72,940 |
| 5 | Lansing | 4 | 3% | $58,872 |
| 6 | Topeka | 4 | 3% | $65,387 |
| 7 | Baton Rouge | 4 | 2% | $57,848 |
| 8 | Tallahassee | 4 | 2% | $44,881 |
| 9 | Boston | 9 | 1% | $69,578 |
| 10 | Washington | 9 | 1% | $97,598 |
| 11 | Sacramento | 7 | 1% | $112,024 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 4 | 1% | $56,470 |
| 13 | Denver | 4 | 1% | $63,072 |
| 14 | Des Moines | 3 | 1% | $64,113 |
| 15 | Los Angeles | 5 | 0% | $96,174 |
| 16 | Chicago | 4 | 0% | $75,510 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | 4 | 0% | $48,264 |
Investigator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of investigator experts
University of Maryland
International Crime Scene Investigators Association
NALI - National Association of Legal Investigators
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Investigator job market given the pandemic?
Gary LaFree: In terms of the criminology market, we are facing not only the pandemic but also the Black Lives Matter movement. These two events probably have their own impact, but they are difficult to separate. In terms of college education, the pandemic has not been all bad for universities-our criminology enrollments are strong right now. On the other hand, the job market is more uncertain because of the pandemic. The criminology market is also somewhat uncertain because of major questioning about the proper role of the police.
What Investigator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gary LaFree: In criminology, having statistical skills is very useful for either an academic career or a research career. Researchers in police departments are getting increasingly sophisticated. Many criminology positions, both in academia and in the private sector, also depend on statistical training.
What general advice would you give to an Investigator?
Gary LaFree: Think about obtaining as much education and training as you can. Be patient. The fundamentals of the economy are relatively strong. Outlet should be much better when we get through the current crisis.
Daryl Clemens
President & Chairman of the BoardInternational Crime Scene Investigators Association
What type of skills will young Investigators need?
Daryl Clemens: Primary skills for Crime Scene Investigation are: Photography, Fingerprint Processing, and the ability to sketch and measure a scene - think a floorplan or landscape diagram, not an artistic sketch. DNA is important, but DNA collection is dead simple.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Investigators to find work opportunities?
Daryl Clemens: CSI jobs are primarily found with large police departments. Smaller departments (which is most of them) don't have the staff to specialize and will have patrol officers or detectives do the crime scene work in addition to their other duties.
John Lajoie CLI
National Director, President of Lajoie Investigations, Inc, of MANALI - National Association of Legal Investigators
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Investigator job market given the pandemic?
John Lajoie CLI: I can speak to the investigation industry much more effectively than others, but I want to emphasize the "work from the home trend." Pre-pandemic, work from home was picking up but not busting out as most employers were concerned about losing some control over employees, less social and workplace interaction, and having the ability to work closely with the employee to assess their strengths and weaknesses. Oversight is diminished for the employer, but additional freedom for the employee is comfortable, so long as they are disciplined and organized to get the work done. For the employee, there is something about flexibility and additional freedom to control when and how the work gets completed, to deal with non-work appointments and family commitments, and simply rolling out of bed at 8:45 AM to be at the computer, phone, Zoom video call, or email 10 minutes later, ready to go to work and get the job done.
There is just something about being home for the kids when they get home from school or other activities for parents. However, the social aspect of showing up at the workplace suffers as some employees are locked up in their houses or apartment with no live social interaction. In-person social skills become rusty. So there are trade-offs, for sure. Post pandemic, employers find out who can and can't work productively from home - who is disciplined to work well from home and who is not. And the savings to both the employee and employer are significant.
Additionally, the employee (and other employees) is presumed to be safer at home than at work, which is probably accurate. The liability of a super-spreader event within a workplace is minimized and keeps insurance costs and other costs down...and the employer out of court, should things go south. The employer is learning that perhaps employees can permanently work from home, saving on rent, commercial real estate, taxes and maintenance, and other related costs.
The cost savings is very significant for the employer and the employee. There are other considerations, but I could write what seems like forever on this, so I will keep it brief. The investigation is a bit different for legal investigators because we on the road conducting studies in the area incidents occur, knocking on doors, interviewing witnesses, interacting with law enforcement, evaluating scenes, collecting records, etc...... so it's much harder to work from home for the average private legal investigator. It's almost impossible. But a couple of days a week doing reports from home is a reality. For all employers, we are treading on new ground controlled by an outside source - a virus. Regardless of how an employer and employee move forward, there will always be a trend of "uncertainty" that lingers until we have Covid beat....and when that happens is anyone's guess.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Investigators in the next 3-5 years?
John Lajoie CLI: Remote computer applications; cybersecurity; cell phone applications that do just about anything work-related and track locations; and advances in hardware and wireless applications. Any technology that will help employers and employees become faster and better communicating and selling will be significant. The biggest will be in the social media arena, as working from home creates a void for in-person social interaction. So the next best thing to many is electronic social media.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Investigators?
John Lajoie CLI: Regardless of bleak employment numbers during this horrific pandemic, legal investigators and private detectives' outlook remains hopeful and optimistic for growth through 2030. The onset of COVID 19 and accompanying state and federal guidelines have produced new protocols for all employers, including detective agencies, to operate safely and effectively. Civil pursuits, accidents, incidents, fraud, and criminal enterprise will continue; therefore, the need for legal investigation services will remain in demand.
Those investigators who have positioned their agency to adhere to recommended guidelines and safety protocols, and adapt to the changing technologies, will survive and likely thrive. Those that don't, will have a challenging experience and may not last. For employers, now is time to review business plans and operational and administrative policies, reinvent the business, look for unique training arenas, establish new revenue streams, and markets. Graduates entering the workforce today will experience a new way of searching for, interviewing, and landing a new job. Be prepared. And make sure you do your research on the company you are targeting for a job.