California / Motor Vehicles / Investigator

Job-title file

Investigator

Inspect and investigate for compliance with regulations, document findings, and recommend action.

188 employees hold this title in Motor Vehicles. Median total compensation for the role is $124,758, above the department median of $65,028.

Employees: 188
Total payroll: $21.3M
Role median: $124,758
Agency median: $65,028
Comparison: Above

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$1,500$155,237+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 188 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compare departments

This role across California

Investigator is held in 18 California departments. In Motor Vehicles, the median of $124,758 ranks #7 of 18.

Highest-paying departments for this role

Industrial Relations

$149,812 · 2

Department of Public Health

$132,770 · 50

Employment Development Department

$131,534 · 30

Department of Cannabis Control

$131,334 · 67

Public Employee's Retirement Systems

$131,168 · 9

Department of State Hospitals

$128,938 · 62

Department of Fincl Protctn and Inn

$124,515 · 9

Developmental Services

$124,051 · 18

California State Lottery Community

$118,622 · 40

Toxic Substances Control

$118,490 · 16

Insurance

$117,694 · 165

Department of Health Care Services

$110,516 · 59

Median total compensation for the Investigator role in other Californiadepartments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.

Compare jurisdictions

Investigator beyond California

This role is reported in 21 jurisdictions. In California, the median of $118,556 ranks #2 of 21. See Investigator across all of California →

Highest-paying jurisdictions for this role

Los Angeles County

$179,956 · 18

District of Columbia

$106,809 · 328

Chicago Public Schools

$99,274 · 13

City of Chicago

$81,324 · 19

New York Public Authorities

$78,295 · 23

Florida

$71,480 · 350

New Jersey

$69,979 · 104

City of Buffalo

$67,397 · 5

Median total compensation for comparable Investigatorroles in other jurisdictions. Titles are matched by normalized name across sources, not identical job classification, and pay is not cost-of-living adjusted. Each bar links to that jurisdiction’s page for the role.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Daniel Taylor

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2023 total comp

$115,860

Base pay: $112,840
Overtime: $2,925
Other pay: $95
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $115,860
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: W

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,615
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253658610001
Salary Total: $9,715
Total Pay: $115,860

Daniel Taylor works as a Investigator for Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. Daniel earned $115,860 in 2023. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Thien-An Pham

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$115,406

Base pay: $115,281
Overtime: $125
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $115,406
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Los Angeles
Middle name: B

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,435
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253408610014
Salary Total: $9,918
Total Pay: $115,406

Thien-An Pham is a Investigator at Motor Vehicles. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $115,406. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Veronica Michel

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$115,219

Base pay: $115,219
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $115,219
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Riverside

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,483
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253698610006
Salary Total: $9,720
Total Pay: $115,219

Veronica Michel works as a Investigator for Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. Veronica earned $115,219 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Robert Wellman

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2024 total comp

$115,075

Base pay: $115,075
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $115,075
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,250
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253068610005
Salary Total: $9,713
Total Pay: $115,075

Robert Wellman holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2024, their total compensation was $115,075. Union affiliation: R07.

Francisco Flores-Villanueva

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$114,407

Base pay: $114,407
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,407
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: San Joaquin

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,792
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253468610002
Salary Total: $10,041
Total Pay: $114,407

Francisco Flores-Villanueva holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $114,407. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Heidi Gomez

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$113,966

Base pay: $113,936
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $30
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $113,966
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Riverside
Middle name: D

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,368
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253698610002
Salary Total: $9,649
Total Pay: $113,966

Heidi Gomez is a Investigator at Motor Vehicles. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $113,966. Union affiliation: R07.

Joseph Ivani

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$113,123

Base pay: $113,098
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $25
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $113,123
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Orange
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,368
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253538610002
Salary Total: $9,849
Total Pay: $113,123

Joseph Ivani works as a Investigator for Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. Joseph earned $113,123 in 2025. They are represented by R07.

Jim Meza Marquez

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$113,045

Base pay: $110,438
Overtime: $1,786
Other pay: $820
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $113,045
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Los Angeles
Middle name: C

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $8,704
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253318610001
Salary Total: $9,165
Total Pay: $113,045

Jim Meza Marquez holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $113,045. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Scott Grijalva

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2024 total comp

$112,975

Base pay: $110,878
Overtime: $2,097
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $112,975
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Los Angeles
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $8,803
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253318610025
Salary Total: $9,443
Total Pay: $112,975

Scott Grijalva holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2024, their total compensation was $112,975. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Alejandra Ibarra

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$112,138

Base pay: $111,723
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $415
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $112,138
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Santa Clara

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,327
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253268610006
Salary Total: $9,807
Total Pay: $112,138

Alejandra Ibarra holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $112,138. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Michael Saunders

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$111,595

Base pay: $110,178
Overtime: $1,417
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $111,595
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Orange
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,268
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253538610013
Salary Total: $9,514
Total Pay: $111,595

Michael Saunders works as a Investigator for Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. Michael earned $111,595 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Leilanie Hopkins

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2024 total comp

$110,966

Base pay: $109,099
Overtime: $1,842
Other pay: $25
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $110,966
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: V

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $8,747
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253478610020
Salary Total: $9,359
Total Pay: $110,966

At Motor Vehicles, Leilanie Hopkins serves as a Investigator. They work full-time. Their 2024 pay totaled $110,966. They are represented by R07.

Jennylee Valles

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2024 total comp

$110,148

Base pay: $100,528
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $9,619
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $110,148
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Riverside
Middle name: B

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $8,324
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253698610003
Salary Total: $8,740
Total Pay: $110,148

Jennylee Valles is a Investigator at Motor Vehicles. They work full-time. 2024 total compensation came to $110,148. They are represented by R07.

Peter Taddeo Jr

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2023 total comp

$110,121

Base pay: $87,836
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $22,284
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $110,121
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: San Diego

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,711
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253598610003
Salary Total: $9,811
Total Pay: $110,121

Peter Taddeo Jr works as a Investigator for Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. Peter earned $110,121 in 2023. They are represented by R07.

Kendrick Powell

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$109,534

Base pay: $109,074
Overtime: $295
Other pay: $166
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $109,534
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Los Angeles
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $8,917
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253338610006
Salary Total: $9,385
Total Pay: $109,534

Kendrick Powell works as a Investigator for Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. Kendrick earned $109,534 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is R07.