Detectives and Criminal Investigators
SOC Code: 33-3021 Job Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Detectives and Criminal Investigators. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,784 | $119,787 | $143,811 | $167,814 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $93,662 | $117,874 | $142,085 | $166,296 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $70,054 | $101,566 | $133,058 | $164,570 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $109,637 | $127,733 | $145,808 | $163,904 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $86,507 | $112,299 | $138,091 | $163,883 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $102,627 | $122,200 | $141,773 | $161,346 |
| Anchorage, AK | $78,478 | $104,291 | $130,104 | $155,917 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $97,635 | $116,355 | $135,054 | $153,774 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $81,328 | $105,206 | $129,106 | $152,984 |
| Springfield, MA | $82,493 | $105,456 | $128,419 | $151,382 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.4 | |
| Speaking | 4.2 | |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 | |
| Active Learning | 3.5 | |
| Coordination | 3.5 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.5 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Law and Government | 4.8 |
| Public Safety and Security | 4.6 |
| English Language | 4.2 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.0 |
| Psychology | 3.9 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.6 |
| Education and Training | 3.6 |
| Administrative | 3.5 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | 32.5% |
| Associate's degree | 19.9% |
| Some college | 19.7% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 17.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 10.0% |
Typical Tasks
- Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse.
- Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
- Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
- Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
- Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.
- 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 summary of incident from officer in charge at crime scene, taking care to avoid disturbing evidence.
- Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Photoshop Linux Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Visio Microsoft Word SAS Structured query language SQL AccessData FTK Case management software Computer aided composite drawing software Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
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