Detectives and Criminal Investigators

What Detectives and Criminal Investigators Do

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

Less than 5 years

On-the-job training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Self-employed

Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Law and Governmentimportance 4.8/5
• Public Safety and Securityimportance 4.6/5
• English Languageimportance 4.2/5
• Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.0/5
• Psychologyimportance 3.9/5
• Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.6/5
• Education and Trainingimportance 3.6/5
• Administrativeimportance 3.5/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• Telephone Conversations4.9/5
• E-Mail4.9/5
• Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.9/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.8/5
• Contact With Others4.8/5
• In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.7/5

Related Careers

• Private Detectives and Investigators
• Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
• First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
• Financial Specialists, All Other
• Forensic Science Technicians
• Compliance Officers
• Transit and Railroad Police
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Medical Dosimetrists98% skill match
• Surveying and Mapping Technicians98% skill match
• Emergency Medicine Physicians97% skill match
• Nurse Practitioners97% skill match
• Tellers97% skill match
• Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric97% skill match
• Compliance Officers97% skill match
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists96% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.9/5
• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.9/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.8/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.5/5
• Service Orientationimportance 3.5/5
• Persuasionimportance 3.1/5
• Negotiationimportance 3.0/5
• Time Managementimportance 3.0/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Stress Tolerance
• Dependability
• Integrity
• Attention to Detail
• Cautiousness
• Perseverance
• Self-Control

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• InvestigativeMedium
• ConventionalMedium
• RealisticMedium
• EnterprisingMedium
• SocialLow
• ArtisticLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where detectives and criminal investigators make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Eagle Pass, TX42.42× national avg
2. 2Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ29.35× national avg
3. 3Laredo, TX17.46× national avg
4. 4El Centro, CA16.07× national avg
5. 5Yuma, AZ15.51× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersLateral Move
• Transit and Railroad PoliceLateral Move
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsCareer Change
• Compliance OfficersCareer Change

See the full career path from Detectives and Criminal Investigators →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.