How long does the training take?

Typically no schooling after high school, then a few months to a year of training on the job, then less than 5 years of related work first. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do detectives and criminal investigators make?

The US median is $93,790 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.

Where can you train for this work?

742 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Detectives and criminal investigators: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Protective service · SOC 33-3021

$93,790US median pay, 2025

+0.2%Projected growth, 2025–35

7,800Openings per year

On the jobUsual way in

How you get in

Most people are hired and trained on the job, so school is optional. A program can still help you stand out.

High school diploma or equivalent (a program is optional for this job)
Less than 5 years of experience in a related job
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Work in: detectives and criminal investigators

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Criminal Justice/Police Science	CIP 43.0107	551
Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism	CIP 43.0403	114
Criminal Justice and Corrections, General	CIP 43.0100	46
Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation	CIP 43.0405	35
Criminalistics and Criminal Science	CIP 43.0402	28
Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services	CIP 03.0208	16
Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis	CIP 43.0408	14
Law Enforcement Investigation and Interviewing	CIP 43.0114	13
Signal/Geospatial Intelligence	CIP 29.0203	8
Geospatial Intelligence	CIP 43.0407	6
Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management	CIP 43.0115	0
Suspension and Debarment Investigation	CIP 43.0121	0
Maritime Law Enforcement	CIP 43.0122	0
Cultural/Archaelogical Resources Protection	CIP 43.0123	0

See the 742 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically no schooling after high school, then a few months to a year of training on the job, then less than 5 years of related work first. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make?: The US median is $93,790 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.
Where can you train for this work?: 742 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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