Criminal investigation
Detective
A promotion you earn in a patrol car first.
Typical pay
$65k-$115k
How you get in
Police academy plus years of patrol experience
Outlook
Steady; a promotion track rather than an entry role
Few openings
77/100Openings are uncommon relative to how many people do this work, and the field is flat.
JobPOVs index, calculated from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025-2035 for Detectives and criminal investigators. It measures how many openings arise each year relative to the size of the field — not how many people apply. BLS does not publish a saturation figure.
Detectives investigate crimes, build cases and work with prosecutors. It is nearly always a promotion from patrol rather than a direct hire, and the work is interviews, paperwork and evidence rather than pursuit.
A day in the life
8:00a – 4:00p · 8 hours
- 8:00aReview overnight reports and assigned cases
- 9:00aWitness interviews
- 11:00aCanvass a scene and collect video evidence
- 1:00pLunch
- 2:00pWrite warrants and coordinate with the prosecutor
- 4:00pCase documentation — the majority of the job
How to get in
Patrol to detective
Duration
5-10 years
Cost
$0-$8,000
Credential
Police certification plus promotional testing
- Complete the police academy and work patrol
- Build a strong record of quality reports and case work
- Pass the promotional process — testing, interviews, evaluations
- Get assigned to an investigative unit, then specialize
Federal investigator
Duration
6-10 years
Cost
$40,000-$150,000
Credential
Bachelor's plus federal academy
- Complete a bachelor's — federal agencies require it
- Gain relevant experience in law enforcement, military, accounting or IT
- Apply to FBI, HSI, ATF, Secret Service or similar
- Federal roles hire directly rather than requiring local patrol first
Civilian investigator specialties
Duration
2-6 years
Cost
$8,000-$120,000
Credential
Degree plus specialty certification
- Target financial crimes, digital forensics or insurance fraud
- Many of these positions are civilian and hire without a badge
- Add certifications like CFE for fraud examination
- Better hours and comparable pay to sworn detective work
What people love
- · Genuinely investigative, problem-solving work
- · Better hours than patrol shift rotations
- · Pay increase and rank advancement
- · Specialize in homicide, financial crimes, cyber or narcotics
What wears people down
- · Requires years in patrol first
- · Caseloads far exceed what can be solved
- · Exposure to the worst of human behavior
- · Court testimony and on-call callouts