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Private Detectives and Investigators

Summary

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Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNOImo84oHI.
Quick Facts: Private Detectives and Investigators
2023 Median Pay $49,540 per year
$23.82 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience in a Related Occupation Less than 5 years
On-the-job Training Moderate-term on-the-job training
Number of Jobs, 2023 38,800
Job Outlook, 2023-33 5% (As fast as average)
Employment Change, 2023-33 1,900

What Private Detectives and Investigators Do

Private detectives and investigators gather, analyze, and report information to clients regarding legal or personal matters.

Work Environment

Private detectives’ and investigators’ work settings may depend on their assignment or case. For example, they may spend time in offices to research cases, or they may work in the field while doing surveillance. Most work full time, and schedules may vary to include early mornings, nights, and weekends.

How to Become a Private Detective or Investigator

Private detectives and investigators typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent and several years of related work experience. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree. Most states require private detectives and investigators to be licensed.

Pay

The median annual wage for private detectives and investigators was $49,540 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 5 percent from 2023 to 2033, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 3,600 openings for private detectives and investigators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for private detectives and investigators.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of private detectives and investigators with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about private detectives and investigators by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Private Detectives and Investigators Do About this section

Private detectives and investigators
Private detectives and investigators must properly collect and document evidence so that it may be used in a court of law.

Private detectives and investigators gather, analyze, and report information to clients regarding legal or personal matters. Their services include verifying people’s backgrounds, finding missing persons, and investigating crimes.

Duties

Private detectives and investigators typically do the following:

  • Interview people to gather information
  • Search online, public, and court records for civil judgments, criminal history, and other evidence
  • Conduct surveillance
  • Write reports detailing investigation activities, observations, and findings
  • Share results of investigation findings with clients

Private detectives and investigators offer many services for individuals, attorneys, and businesses. For example, they may perform background checks, investigate employees suspected of workplace theft, and prove or disprove infidelity in a divorce case. Some private detectives and investigators specialize in a type of investigation, such as missing persons.

When conducting research, private detectives and investigators obtain and analyze information such as telephone numbers, social networks, online activities, and court records. They may interview others to verify facts they discover.

Private detectives and investigators also conduct surveillance when working on a case. They may keep watch through binoculars or take photographs, often from a hidden position, to gather information on people of interest.

Private detectives and investigators must obey the law when conducting investigations. Because they lack police authority, they are held to the same standards of conduct as private citizens. As a result, these workers must have a thorough understanding of federal, state, and local laws, such as privacy laws, that may affect their work. Lawful collection of evidence ensures its usability in court and protects detectives and investigators from prosecution.

Skip tracers specialize in locating people whose whereabouts are unknown. For example, debt collectors may employ skip tracers to locate people who have unpaid bills.

Store detectives, or loss prevention associates, typically work undercover to identify and prevent shoplifting or theft. These plainclothes detectives may pretend to be customers as they walk through the store observing other shoppers.

Private detectives and investigators have duties that may be similar to those of workers in other occupations. For example, insurance investigators evaluate claims in which an insurance company suspects fraudulent or criminal activity. Detectives and criminal investigators gather evidence related to illegal activity. Gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators monitor casino operations for suspicious activity and ensure compliance with the law.

Work Environment About this section

Private detectives and investigators
Many private detectives and investigators spend time away from their desks while conducting surveillance in the field.

Private detectives and investigators held about 38,800 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of private detectives and investigators were as follows:

Retail trade 31%
Administrative and support services 20
Finance and insurance 12
Government 9
Professional, scientific, and technical services 7

Private detectives’ and investigators’ work settings may depend on their assignment or case. For example, some spend time in offices to research cases, or they work in the field while doing surveillance. Others may work in stores to observe customers.

In addition, private detectives and investigators may work outdoors or from a vehicle, in all kinds of weather, in order to obtain information.

Although they often work alone, some private detectives and investigators work with others while conducting surveillance or carrying out large, complex assignments.

Work Schedules

Most private detectives and investigators work full time. Their schedules may vary to include early mornings, nights, and weekends, especially when they conduct surveillance or contact people outside of normal business hours.

How to Become a Private Detective or Investigator About this section

Private detectives and investigators
Although most learn on the job, many private detectives and investigators have a law enforcement background.

Private detectives and investigators typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent and several years of work experience in a related occupation. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a college degree. Most states require private detectives and investigators to be licensed.

Education

Education requirements vary. Some employers require a high school diploma or the equivalent, while others require a bachelor’s degree. Fields of study may include those that are closely related, such as security and protective service, or those that have wide applicability, such as business.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Private detectives and investigators typically need related work experience. Examples include having worked in law enforcement, the military, or federal intelligence. Some private detectives and investigators enter the occupation after gaining experience in public sector jobs.

Other private detectives and investigators may have worked in occupations such as bill and account collectors, claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators; paralegals; or security guards.

Training

Private detectives and investigators often learn through on-the-job training, which may last several months or longer.

Although private detectives and investigators learn how to gather information, additional training often depends on the position for which they are hired. For example, some learn to conduct remote surveillance, reconstruct accident scenes, or investigate fraud. Corporate investigators may receive formal training in business practices, management structure, and finance-related topics.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Most states require private detectives and investigators to be licensed. Check with your state and locality for information about age, experience, and other requirements for licensing. Depending on the position, private detectives and investigators may need a driver’s license.

Some workers opt to earn professional certification, which demonstrates competence in a particular area of investigation work.

Important Qualities

Attention to detail. Private detectives and investigators must stay alert and be precise in noting information related to their investigations.

Communication skills. Private detectives and investigators must listen carefully and ask appropriate questions when interviewing a person of interest. They also must write reports that clearly and comprehensively document activities and conclusions of their investigations.

Decision-making skills. Private detectives and investigators must be able to think clearly and evaluate situations quickly, often based on limited information that they have at a given time.

Inquisitiveness. Private detectives and investigators must be tenacious in asking questions and searching for the truth. They must be persistent in pursuing leads and sometimes must anticipate what a person of interest will do next.

Patience. Private detectives and investigators may spend long periods conducting surveillance while waiting for an event to occur. Investigations may be time consuming and may not provide a resolution quickly—or at all.

Problem-solving skills. Private detectives and investigators must be methodical in their approach to overcoming obstacles while solving challenging cases.

Pay About this section

Private Detectives and Investigators

Median annual wages, May 2023

Private detectives and investigators

$49,540

Total, all occupations

$48,060

Other protective service workers

$36,920

 

The median annual wage for private detectives and investigators was $49,540 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,060, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $96,600.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for private detectives and investigators in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services $69,820
Finance and insurance 68,130
Government 68,040
Administrative and support services 48,650
Retail trade 40,880

Wage data do not cover self-employed workers or owners and partners of unincorporated businesses.

Most private detectives and investigators work full time. Their schedules may vary to include early mornings, nights, and weekends, especially when they conduct surveillance or contact people outside of normal business hours.

Job Outlook About this section

Private Detectives and Investigators

Percent change in employment, projected 2023-33

Private detectives and investigators

5%

Total, all occupations

4%

Other protective service workers

3%

 

Employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 5 percent from 2023 to 2033, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 3,600 openings for private detectives and investigators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Continued lawsuits, fraud and other crimes, and interpersonal mistrust are expected to create demand for investigative services. In addition, background checks will continue to be a source of work for some investigators, as online investigations are not always sufficient.

Employment projections data for private detectives and investigators, 2023-33
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2023 Projected Employment, 2033 Change, 2023-33 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Private detectives and investigators

33-9021 38,800 40,700 5 1,900 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of private detectives and investigators.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2023 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Accountants and auditors Accountants and Auditors

Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records.

Bachelor's degree $79,880
Bill and account collectors Bill and Account Collectors

Bill and account collectors try to recover payment on overdue bills.

High school diploma or equivalent $44,250
Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators

Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators evaluate insurance claims.

See How to Become One $75,020
Financial examiners Financial Examiners

Financial examiners ensure compliance with laws that govern institutions handling monetary transactions.

Bachelor's degree $84,300
Security guards and gaming surveillance officers Security Guards and Gambling Surveillance Officers

Security guards and gambling surveillance officers protect property from illegal activity.

High school diploma or equivalent $37,090
Paralegals and legal assistants Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Paralegals and legal assistants support lawyers by performing a variety of tasks, such as maintaining and organizing files, conducting legal research, and drafting documents. 

Associate's degree $60,970
Fire inspectors and investigators Fire Inspectors

Fire inspectors detect fire hazards, recommend prevention measures, ensure compliance with state and local fire regulations, and investigate causes of fires.

See How to Become One $71,420
Police and detectives Police and Detectives

Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.

See How to Become One $74,910
Forensic science technicians Forensic Science Technicians

Forensic science technicians aid criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence.

Bachelor's degree $64,940
Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Private Detectives and Investigators,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/private-detectives-and-investigators.htm (visited October 24, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2023

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2023, which is the base year of the 2023-33 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2023-33

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033. The average growth rate for all occupations is 4 percent.

Employment Change, 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.