Detectives and Criminal Investigators build social perceptiveness, judgment and decision making and complex problem solving skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Coroners (83%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coroners | 83% | $80,730Pay for the broader BLS group “Compliance Officers” | Not compared | None |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 81% | $106,040 | +13% | None |
| 3 | Compliance Officers | 75% | $80,730 | −14% | Bachelor's degree |
| 4 | Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts | 73% | $81,100Pay for the broader BLS group “Financial Specialists, All Other” | Not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 5 | Air Traffic Controllers | 71% | $148,080 | +58% | None |
| 6 | Forensic Science Technicians | 71% | $72,060 | −23% | None |
| 7 | Loss Prevention Managers | 69% | $141,900Pay for the broader BLS group “Managers, All Other” | Not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | 69% | $77,970 | −17% | None |
| 9 | Compliance Managers | 68% | $141,900Pay for the broader BLS group “Managers, All Other” | Not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Emergency Management Directors | 68% | $93,330 | 0% | Bachelor's degree |
Compared with Detectives and Criminal Investigators, median $93,790. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as detectives and criminal investigators (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
83% skill match · $80,730 (broader BLS group)
Management of Material Resources
81% skill match · $106,040 · +13% pay
Management of Personnel Resources · Instructing · Management of Financial Resources
75% skill match · $80,730 · −14% pay
Management of Financial Resources · Management of Personnel Resources · Management of Material Resources
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Coroners (83% skill match, median $80,730), First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (81% skill match, median $106,040) and Compliance Officers (75% skill match, median $80,730), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 6 pay more than detectives and criminal investigators at the median. The biggest increases: Air Traffic Controllers (+58%, $148,080), Facilities Managers (+14%, $106,660) and First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (+13%, $106,040).
13 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.