As of August 01, 2026, the average hourly pay of Special Investigator in the United States is $33. While Salary.com is seeing that Special Investigator salary in the US can go up to $42 or down to $27, but most earn between $30 and $38. Salary.com shows the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Special Investigator in the United States.
| Percentile | Hourly Pay Rate | Location | Last Updated |
| 10th Percentile Special Investigator Salary | $27 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 25th Percentile Special Investigator Salary | $30 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 50th Percentile Special Investigator Salary | $33 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 75th Percentile Special Investigator Salary | $38 | US | August 01, 2026 |
| 90th Percentile Special Investigator Salary | $42 | US | August 01, 2026 |
A Special Agent, in the United States, is usually a criminal investigator or detective for a federal or state (and to a lesser degree county) government, that primarily serves in investigatory positions. Additionally, many federal and state "Special Agents" operate in "criminal intelligence" based roles as well. Within the US federal law enforcement system, dozens of federal agencies employ federal law enforcement officers, each with different criteria pertaining to the use of the titles Special Agent and Agent. In federal/military intelligence usage, "agent" also refers to a human source or ...
Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia
See user submitted job responsibilities for Special Investigator.
Bachelor's Degree
5 + years experience
Bachelor's Degree
| Job Title | Experience | EDUCATION | Salary Compared to This Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job Title Claims Investigator | Experience 2 - 4 | EducationBachelors | Salary Compared to This Job |
| Job Title Claims Senior Investigator | Experience 4 - 7 | EducationBachelors | Salary Compared to This Job |
| Job Title Credit Card Fraud Investigator | Experience 1 - 3 | EducationHigh School | Salary Compared to This Job |
| Job Title Detective/Investigator, Except Public | Experience | Education | Salary Compared to This Job |
| Job Title Fraud Investigation Officer II | Experience 2 - 4 | EducationBachelors | Salary Compared to This Job |
Core compensation
Includes base and short-term incentives
Recently searched related titles: Intelligence Professional, Investigation Specialist, Investigations Specialist
Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role
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