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

Leonard Mata

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$205,806

Base pay: $143,682
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $62,123
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $205,806
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Los Angeles
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253338610007
Salary Total: $11,882
Total Pay: $205,806

At Motor Vehicles, Leonard Mata serves as a Investigator. They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $205,806. Union affiliation: R07.

John Dublin

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2024 total comp

$194,740

Base pay: $131,690
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $63,050
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $194,740
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Santa Clara
Middle name: D

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,401
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253268610038
Salary Total: $11,857
Total Pay: $194,740

John Dublin is a Investigator at Motor Vehicles. They work full-time. 2024 total compensation came to $194,740. They are represented by R07.

Craig Manno

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$165,397

Base pay: $82,918
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $82,479
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $165,397
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Santa Clara
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253268610033
Salary Total: $11,564
Total Pay: $165,397

At Motor Vehicles, Craig Manno serves as a Investigator. They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $165,397. Union affiliation: R07.

Jeffrey Netland

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$156,008

Base pay: $130,044
Overtime: $25,964
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $156,008
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Riverside
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253568610037
Salary Total: $10,927
Total Pay: $156,008

At Motor Vehicles, Jeffrey Netland serves as a Investigator. They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $156,008. Union affiliation: R07.

Matthew Ambriz

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$154,967

Base pay: $131,084
Overtime: $23,883
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $154,967
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Riverside
Middle name: F

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253568610035
Salary Total: $10,927
Total Pay: $154,967

Matthew Ambriz works as a Investigator for Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. Matthew earned $154,967 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is R07.

Mary Upton

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$152,083

Base pay: $78,434
Overtime: $765
Other pay: $72,884
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $152,083
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Santa Clara
Middle name: E

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253268610032
Salary Total: $10,927
Total Pay: $152,083

Mary Upton holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $152,083. Union affiliation: R07.

Rhonda Mccoy

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$149,215

Base pay: $145,871
Overtime: $3,343
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $149,215
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Orange
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253538610001
Salary Total: $11,882
Total Pay: $149,215

Rhonda Mccoy holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $149,215. Union affiliation: R07.

Sandra Inao

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$148,704

Base pay: $144,223
Overtime: $2,681
Other pay: $1,800
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $148,704
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: Los Angeles
Middle name: S

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253318610003
Salary Total: $11,882
Total Pay: $148,704

At Motor Vehicles, Sandra Inao serves as a Investigator. They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $148,704. Union affiliation: R07.

Gloria Mercado

Investigator/Motor Vehicles

2025 total comp

$148,097

Base pay: $143,810
Overtime: $3,756
Other pay: $530
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $148,097
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R07
Work county: San Diego
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,609
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 5253618610001
Salary Total: $11,882
Total Pay: $148,097

Gloria Mercado holds the role of Investigator at Motor Vehicles. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $148,097. Their bargaining unit is R07.