Investigators: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of investigators about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for investigators to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of investigators expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for investigators.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Investigators?
Do investigators need a degree? What kind of experience do investigators typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for investigators to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Investigators
Jobs Postings for Investigators By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 6,928 (46%)
- No Education Listed: 2,679 (18%)
- Master's degree: 2,668 (18%)
- High School or GED: 1,647 (11%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,100 (7%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of investigators. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 46% of positions. In 18% of job listings no education level was listed and in 18% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Investigators
Jobs Postings for Investigators By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 1,247 (16%)
- 2-3 Years: 3,429 (43%)
- 4-6 Years: 2,354 (29%)
- 7-9 Years: 690 (9%)
- 10+ Years: 324 (4%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for investigators. In 43% of job postings for Investigators, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 29% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 16% of job postings for investigators.
What Kind of Degree Do Investigators Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for investigators, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 19 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective investigators, and in 2023 a total of 223,162 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective investigators.
Top Degree Programs for Investigators
Top 5 Degree Programs for Investigators (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Accounting. | 61,109 |
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Mathematics, General. | 26,754 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Accounting. | 61,109 |
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Mathematics, General. | 26,754 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Financial Mathematics. | 5,552 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 5,054 |
| Applied Mathematics, General. | 4,571 |
| Accounting and Finance. | 3,492 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,016 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,214 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services. | 1,034 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| Investments and Securities. | 374 |
| Risk Management. | 177 |
| International Finance. | 138 |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management. | 61 |
| Religious Institution Administration and Management. | 56 |
| Public Finance. | 25 |
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What Skills Do Investigators Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by investigators to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for investigators, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Investigators
Based on 11,859 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Investigators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Anti Money Laundering | 3,193 | 27% |
| Auditing | 2,391 | 20% |
| Bank Secrecy Act | 2,347 | 20% |
| Financial Services | 2,299 | 19% |
| Fraud Investigation | 2,260 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Investigators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 5,378 | 45% |
| Management | 4,582 | 39% |
| Research | 4,458 | 38% |
| Investigation | 4,170 | 35% |
| Operations | 3,228 | 27% |
Based on 11,859 job postings related to investigators, anti money laundering was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 27% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for auditing, bank secrecy act, financial services, fraud investigation and finance were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for investigators, followed by management, research, investigation, operations and microsoft excel.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Anti Money Laundering | 3,193 | 27% |
| Auditing | 2,391 | 20% |
| Bank Secrecy Act | 2,347 | 20% |
| Financial Services | 2,299 | 19% |
| Fraud Investigation | 2,260 | 19% |
| Finance | 2,129 | 18% |
| Data Analysis | 2,018 | 17% |
| Risk Management | 1,969 | 17% |
| Law Enforcement | 1,753 | 15% |
| Accounting | 1,727 | 15% |
| Fraud Prevention | 1,725 | 15% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 1,688 | 14% |
| Statistics | 1,613 | 14% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 1,573 | 13% |
| Economics | 1,349 | 11% |
| Fraud Detection | 1,262 | 11% |
| Office Of Foreign Assets Controls | 1,205 | 10% |
| Suspicious Activity Report | 1,196 | 10% |
| Due Diligence | 1,149 | 10% |
| Project Management | 1,079 | 9% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 5,378 | 45% |
| Management | 4,582 | 39% |
| Research | 4,458 | 38% |
| Investigation | 4,170 | 35% |
| Operations | 3,228 | 27% |
| Microsoft Excel | 2,888 | 24% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,716 | 23% |
| Problem Solving | 2,685 | 23% |
| Writing | 2,651 | 22% |
| Leadership | 2,219 | 19% |
| Customer Service | 2,114 | 18% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,920 | 16% |
| Analytical Skills | 1,767 | 15% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,565 | 13% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,563 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,501 | 13% |
| Presentations | 1,470 | 12% |
| Mathematics | 1,453 | 12% |
| Multitasking | 1,331 | 11% |
| Self-Motivation | 1,274 | 11% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about investigators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for investigators.
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.