Traces cryptocurrency transactions on public blockchains to follow stolen or laundered funds, identify criminals and support seizures and prosecutions. BLS does not publish separate figures for fraud examiners, investigators and analysts; it counts them within fraud examiner, investigator and analyst (SOC 13-2099), whose median pay is $81,100 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-2099
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Blockchain Forensics Investigator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $81,100a year, or $38.99/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $48KTop 10% $151K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.1%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 9,400137,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025137.8K
- Projected 2035143.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 137.8K Projected 2035 143.4K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Crypto Investigator, Blockchain Investigator, Cryptocurrency Forensic Investigator, Blockchain Intelligence Analyst, On-Chain Investigator.
Pay
How much do Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts make?
Every blockchain forensics investigator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$81,100
Middle half earn $61,290 to $110,410
- 10th
- $48,460
- 25th
- $61,290
- 75th
- $110,410
- 90th
- $151,490
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $48,460 |
| 25th | $61,290 |
| Median | $81,100 |
| 75th | $110,410 |
| 90th | $151,490 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $81,100
- Median hourly wage
- $38.99/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $93,810
- People employed
- 132,130
Versus all US occupations
At $81,100, Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts earn 59% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $30,120 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
The median is typical for the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $151,490 or more while the bottom 10% earn $48,460, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 61% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $125,110, and still leads at $113,839 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $125,110 | $113,839 | 2,460 |
| 2Maine | $109,060 | $112,375 | 1,250 |
| 3New York | $107,490 | $99,601 | 9,750 |
| 4Maryland | $101,400 | $96,609 | 3,790 |
| 5Massachusetts | $99,970 | $94,528 | N/A |
| 6New Jersey | $98,630 | $90,648 | 5,510 |
| 7Virginia | $92,930 | $91,915 | 5,070 |
| 8Indiana | $92,410 | $99,015 | 1,930 |
| 9Ohio | $90,060 | $97,075 | 4,170 |
| 10Colorado | $87,430 | $84,841 | 4,030 |
Job outlook
Is Blockchain Forensics Investigator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts | +4.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts to change 4.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 9,400 openings are projected each year, 6.8% of the 137,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Blockchain Forensics Investigator
Investigators come from law enforcement, financial crimes, anti-money laundering, intelligence and cybersecurity backgrounds. A bachelor's degree in criminal justice, finance, accounting or computer science is common. Understanding how blockchains, wallets, exchanges and decentralized finance work is essential.
Training is often vendor-specific: blockchain analytics companies such as Chainalysis offer certifications on their tools. Federal agencies including IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI have built cryptocurrency investigation teams, and FinCEN guidance explains how money transmission rules apply to virtual currency businesses. Many people start in anti-money laundering compliance and specialize.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Blockchain Forensics Investigator do?
Blockchain forensics investigators follow the money in cryptocurrency cases. Because most blockchains record every transaction publicly, investigators can trace funds from a scam, ransomware attack or hack through many wallets, mixers and cross-chain bridges until they reach an exchange that knows its customers. They use specialized analytics software that groups addresses into likely owners and flags known criminal services.
Investigators then turn tracing into action: writing reports, requesting records from exchanges through legal process, helping freeze or seize funds, and testifying about their methods. Some work for law enforcement; others work for analytics firms, exchanges, consultancies or victims trying to recover stolen assets.
Day-to-day tasks
- Trace cryptocurrency flows across wallets and blockchains
- Use blockchain analytics tools to identify wallet owners
- Investigate scams, ransomware, hacks and sanctions evasion
- Prepare legal requests and evidence for exchanges and courts
- Help freeze and seize illicit funds
- Write investigative reports and visual flow charts
- Testify about tracing methods and findings
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Investigators work at federal and local law enforcement agencies, blockchain analytics firms, crypto exchanges, consultancies and incident response companies. Work is computer-based and often remote, with urgent cases such as a major hack demanding long hours. Some roles involve court testimony.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.3
- Writing4.3
- Reading Comprehension4.1
- Speaking4.1
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Mathematics3.1
- Monitoring3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.3 |
| Writing | 4.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 |
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.4
- Persuasion3.1
- Instructing3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Negotiation3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.4 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Negotiation | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Blockchain Forensics Investigator?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ICE) built on O*NET's Fraud Examiner, Investigator and Analyst profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Blockchain Forensics Investigator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Conventional5.6
- Investigative5.1
- Enterprising4.6
- Realistic2.0
- Social1.9
- Artistic1.2
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Blockchain Forensics Investigator
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Protective Service
- Business and Financial Operations
- Protective Service
- Management
- Protective Service
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with fraud examiners, investigators and analysts highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Blockchain Forensics Investigator$81,100
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Blockchain Forensics Investigator | $81,100 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Blockchain Forensics Investigator appears on
Questions
Blockchain Forensics Investigator: frequently asked questions
How much do Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for fraud examiners, investigators and analysts. It counts them within fraud examiner, investigator and analyst, whose median pay is $81,100 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $61,290 and $110,410, and the top 10% earn $151,490 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Blockchain Forensics Investigator?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation.
Is Blockchain Forensics Investigator a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.1% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 9,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Blockchain Forensics Investigator do?
Blockchain forensics investigators follow the money in cryptocurrency cases. A typical task: trace cryptocurrency flows across wallets and blockchains. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software, Cloud-based management software.
Which states pay Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts the most?
The highest state medians for Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts are District of Columbia ($125,110), Maine ($109,060), New York ($107,490) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Blockchain Forensics Investigator?
O*NET scores Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts highest on the Conventional, Investigative and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.