Career Explorer Protective services
Changing shape
Detectives and criminal investigators
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
Changing faster than most: more resilient than 25% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by +0.2% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on creative vision and emotional intelligence.
AI can do many of the tasks, and hiring is expected to grow slower than average or to shrink. The job is likely to change, so build the human parts of it.
- Median pay (2025)
- $93,790
- Job growth to 2035
- +0.2%
- Openings a year
- 7,800
- People doing it (2025)
- 120,000
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Investigate criminal or legal matters
- Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- Maintain safety or security
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Process forensic or legal evidence
- Interview people to obtain information
- Record information about legal matters
What the work looks like
- Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
- Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.
- 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 facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
- Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Fire inspectors and investigatorsHuman edge, growing, Index 79, +4.2%
- Transportation, storage, and distribution managersGrows with AI, Index 48, +6.1%
- Occupational health and safety techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 92, +19.4%
- Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managersHuman edge, steady, Index 53, -3.4%
Also known as: Criminal Investigator, Detective, Investigator, Police Detective, Crime Scene Investigator (CSI), Crime Scene Technician, Criminalist, Forensic Specialist.
Is this career on your child's list?
Build a free Career Playbook matched to your child, or get a 90-day Action Plan with dated next steps, written for your child by name.
Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.