Criminal Investigation
Drawn directly from OPM FedScope (June 2026), this page tracks headcount, average salary, tenure, and pay comparison for the Criminal Investigation occupation series (code 1811).
The verdict
With 44,633 employees (2.3% of the federal civilian workforce), Criminal Investigation ranks as a major federal occupation within the Investigation Group family, and headcount declined 0.7% from the prior period. Its average salary of n/a pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 44,633
- Share of workforce
- 2.3%
- Avg salary
- n/a
- Avg tenure
- 14.5 yrs
FedScope read on Criminal Investigation (dense series)
2.3% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Criminal Investigation occupation (OPM code 1811): 44,633 people, headcount down -0.7% versus the prior period, a useful gauge for job seekers on USAJOBS trying to assess whether this role is expanding government-wide or contracting under hiring freezes and attrition.
The average salary for Criminal Investigation is n/a per year. Salaries moved down by 0.0% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. Average length of service in this role is 14.5 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
The Investigation Group family (code 18) groups Criminal Investigation together with 19 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Criminal Investigation postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Investigation Group family.
Criminal Investigation makes up 21.3% of the 209,389 employees across the Investigation Group family, ranking #2 of 20 occupations in that family by headcount. Its average salary ranks in the bottom half (0th percentile) of pay among Investigation Group occupations.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Criminal Investigation pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
n/a
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-100.0%
Where Criminal Investigation ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of n/a is higher than 0% of federal occupation series (0 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Criminal Investigation sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Criminal Investigation ranks higher than 0%.
Related Occupations in Investigation Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance Inspection and Support | 53,444 | n/a | 9.8 yrs |
| General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance Series | 44,491 | n/a | 14.8 yrs |
| Customs and Border Protection | 27,421 | n/a | 14.7 yrs |
| Border Patrol Enforcement Series | 21,781 | n/a | 13.3 yrs |
| Consumer Safety Inspection | 5,242 | $74,073 | 15.3 yrs |
| Aviation Safety | 4,206 | $143,216 | 15 yrs |
| Investigative Analysis | 2,129 | n/a | 15.9 yrs |
| Import Compliance Series | 1,104 | $126,314 | 16.5 yrs |
| Wage and Hour Investigation Series | 885 | $120,994 | 17.1 yrs |
| Mine Safety and Health Inspection Series | 875 | $112,306 | 13.2 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Criminal Investigation outside the Investigation Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (44,633 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families (n/a here).
Key takeaways
- Criminal Investigation pays below the federal average by 100.0% (n/a vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 0th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A major federal occupation by headcount: 44,633 employees, 2.3% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.7% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Criminal Investigation ranks #6 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Criminal Investigation makes up 21.3% of the 209,389 employees across the Investigation Group family, ranking #2 of 20 occupations in that family by headcount.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.