DEA Special Agents vs Legal Investigators
Median pay is about $43k higher for DEA Special Agents. The usual entry education is bachelor's plus fitness for DEA Special Agents and bachelor's for Legal Investigators.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | DEA Special Agents | Legal Investigators |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $93,790, higher | $51,220 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $69,330, higher | $40,700 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $120,520, higher | $73,990 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +0.2% Stable | +5.5% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 7,800 | 3,200 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's plus fitness | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 3.4 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 79th pct | 55th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, active learning.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.