Marines · 5821
Your Criminal Investigation Division Special experience maps to civilian jobs like Detectives and Criminal Investigators—and well beyond. Explore the specific roles below, see what each pays and requires, and build from there.
These are the civilian jobs the U.S. Department of Labor maps to 5821, plus the roles most closely related to them—ordered from the closest match. Think of them as a floor, not a ceiling: see what each role involves and pays, start where your Criminal Investigation Division Special experience already fits, and build toward the rest.
$91,100/yr mediantypical $51k–$154k~107K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
Why it fits: A direct Department of Labor match—your Criminal Investigation Division Special work maps straight onto the protective & law enforcement side of this role.
$49,540/yr mediantypical $36k–$97k~35K U.S. jobs
★ Bright Outlook — Rapid growth
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Criminal Investigation Division Special occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$72,280/yr mediantypical $45k–$112k~646K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Criminal Investigation Division Special occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$91,100/yr mediantypical $51k–$154k~107K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Associate degree, apprenticeship, or vocational training
Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Criminal Investigation Division Special occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$101,750/yr mediantypical $60k–$161k~138K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: High-school diploma plus short on-the-job training
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Criminal Investigation Division Special occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$91,100/yr mediantypical $51k–$154k~107K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Gather, analyze, or evaluate information from a variety of sources, such as law enforcement databases, surveillance, intelligence networks or geographic information systems.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Criminal Investigation Division Special occupations on the protective & law enforcement side—a natural next step.
$78,310/yr mediantypical $44k–$140k~123K U.S. jobs
Typical entry: Bachelor’s degree typically expected
Obtain evidence, take statements, produce reports, and testify to findings regarding resolution of fraud allegations.
Why it fits: Closely related to your Criminal Investigation Division Special occupations on the business & financial operations side—a natural next step.
Source: O*NET / DMDC Military Crosswalk and O*NET related-occupations data, August 2024. Pay is BLS OEWS (May 2023).
Use the level that reflects what you actually did—not rank alone. Two people with the same code and very different experience should not submit the same résumé.
Lead with hands-on tasks, tools, equipment, qualifications, safety discipline, and the conditions in which you performed. Do not inflate supervisory scope.
Add team leadership, training, inspections, work allocation, quality control, readiness, and the people or assets you directly supervised.
Emphasize multi-team operations, schedules, resource forecasting, safety systems, policy enforcement, advising leaders, and organization-level results.
A translated title isn't enough. These four moves turn Criminal Investigation Division Special experience into evidence a civilian hiring manager can act on.
List the systems, vehicles, equipment, and tools you personally operated as Criminal Investigation Division Special—plus qualifications, certifications, and the recurring high-stakes tasks you owned.
Marines led, dollar value of equipment you were accountable for, workload, readiness rates, and safety or quality outcomes. Scope beats adjectives.
For any target role, name the license, degree, or software it requires and start now—your GI Bill and credentialing assistance can cover most of it.
Recruiters rarely search “5821.” Search job boards by the equipment, skills, and outcomes above as much as by “Criminal Investigation Division Special.”
You don't have to make this jump alone. These programs exist specifically to move service members into civilian careers—most are free, and several pay you while you train.
Train or intern with a civilian employer during your last ~180 days on active duty—at full military pay.
Earn a paycheck while you train for a trade or technical role; USMAP can credit the military training you already have.
Corporate fellowships and hiring events that place transitioning service members and military spouses.
Free career training and nationally recognized certifications for service members, veterans, and spouses.
VA-funded high-tech training (IT, cyber, data, software) that does not touch your GI Bill entitlement.
Free local career centers plus certification and state-by-state license finders for any field.
How to use this: Treat these as targets, not limits. Your exact duties depend on your assignments, so lead with what you actually did—and remember that regulated careers require their own license, certification, or degree.