Quick answer: The Cape Coral metro employs about 230 detectives and criminal investigators (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements.
Compare criminology programs enrolling now:
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Criminology itself is not licensed. Sworn investigative roles run through a law enforcement academy and agency hiring process, which the degree does not replace; analyst roles in agencies and research settings weight the methods and statistics coursework.
See the Florida licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 9 schools within 228 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 9 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Detectives and Criminal Investigators in the Cape Coral area earn a median $76,310 per year, below the national median of $93,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Cape Coral metro | Florida | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $76,310 | $77,060 | $93,790 |
| 10th percentile | $58,660 | $50,050 | $55,390 |
| 25th percentile | $71,720 | $60,790 | $69,330 |
| 75th percentile | $92,410 | $120,180 | $120,520 |
| 90th percentile | $140,500 | $162,450 | $160,540 |
| Employment | 230 | 6,440 | 114,430 |
| Location quotient | 1.04 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metropolitan statistical area.
The Cape Coral median of $76,310 is below the national median of $93,790, and below the Florida statewide median of $77,060 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.04 means detectives and criminal investigators are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Investigative and analyst employment tracks agency size, so state capitals and large metros with federal field offices carry most of the roles.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | $99,080 | 2,110 |
| Tampa | $92,420 | 1,150 |
| Jacksonville | $74,580 | 540 |
| Orlando | $70,760 | 540 |
| Tallahassee | $58,410 | 490 |
| Pensacola | $71,680 | 140 |
| Gainesville | $66,350 | 110 |
| Port St. Lucie | $75,420 | 110 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
The median annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area is $76,310, below the national median of $93,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area employs about 230 detectives and criminal investigators (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Criminology itself is not licensed. Sworn investigative roles run through a law enforcement academy and agency hiring process, which the degree does not replace; analyst roles in agencies and research settings weight the methods and statistics coursework. Confirm current requirements with the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the hiring agency on its education and academy requirements.
The Cape Coral metro median is $76,310 against a statewide median of $77,060 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
