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Private Detectives and Investigators: Career Overview
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.
What Tasks Do Private Detectives and Investigators Perform?
Typical responsibilities of private detectives and investigators span:
- Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.
- Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.
- Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.
- Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.
- Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.
- Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.
- Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.
- Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful private detectives and investigators rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Private Detectives and Investigators Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- AML Investigator (Anti Money Laundering Investigator)
- Alarm Investigator
- Asset Protection Detective
- BSA Investigator (Bank Secrecy Act Investigator)
- Background Investigator
- Bonding Agent
- Case Investigator
- Cash Shortage Investigator
How Many Private Detectives and Investigators Are There?
There are about 376,964 private detectives and investigators working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +11.8% over the projection horizon.
Private Detectives and Investigators Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $71,252 |
| Hourly median | $34.26 |
| 10th percentile | $50,818 |
| 25th percentile | $61,035 |
| 75th percentile | $81,469 |
| 90th percentile | $91,685 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $77,320 |
| Maryland | $74,360 |
| Illinois | $73,070 |
| Minnesota | $72,070 |
| Connecticut | $68,290 |
| Wyoming | $67,360 |
| Vermont | $66,070 |
| Washington | $65,370 |
| Arizona | $64,960 |
| California | $60,210 |
| New York | $59,840 |
| Massachusetts | $57,840 |
| North Carolina | $55,190 |
| Alaska | $54,080 |
| South Carolina | $53,890 |
| Nebraska | $52,160 |
| New Hampshire | $51,990 |
| Rhode Island | $51,610 |
| New Jersey | $51,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,220 |
| Utah | $51,130 |
| Ohio | $50,060 |
| Colorado | $49,720 |
| Michigan | $49,700 |
| Delaware | $49,400 |
| Maine | $49,360 |
| Florida | $48,880 |
| Virginia | $48,740 |
| Idaho | $48,170 |
| Kentucky | $48,130 |
| Texas | $48,070 |
| Montana | $47,910 |
| Nevada | $47,550 |
| Alabama | $47,180 |
| West Virginia | $46,830 |
| Tennessee | $46,560 |
| North Dakota | $45,710 |
| Indiana | $45,400 |
| Iowa | $45,070 |
| Kansas | $45,020 |
| New Mexico | $44,870 |
| Georgia | $44,590 |
| Hawaii | $44,390 |
| Missouri | $43,780 |
| Louisiana | $43,390 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,360 |
| Arkansas | $43,310 |
| Wisconsin | $43,210 |
| Oklahoma | $40,470 |
| Mississippi | $39,460 |
Where Private Detectives and Investigators Earn the Most
Compensation for private detectives and investigators differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $61,020 | 18.4% | 1.11 |
| New England | $58,205 | 3.6% | 0.90 |
| Great Lakes | $56,833 | 13.2% | 0.96 |
| Middle Atlantic | $56,696 | 12.7% | 0.85 |
| Plains States | $56,309 | 5.3% | 0.91 |
| Southwest | $50,810 | 12.7% | 1.02 |
| Rocky Mountains | $50,197 | 3.5% | 0.93 |
| Southeast | $48,210 | 30.1% | 1.28 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $80,060 | 30 |
| Salem, OR | OR | $79,550 | 170 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $79,110 | 230 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $77,680 | 1,320 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $76,730 | 670 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $75,400 | 540 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | AZ | $75,230 | 760 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | NC | $74,720 | 740 |
Which Industries Hire Private Detectives and Investigators
The largest employers of private detectives and investigators are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 14,280 | $42,500 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,130 | $52,980 |
| Finance and Insurance | 4,770 | $74,240 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 2,960 | $78,700 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,580 | $77,770 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 950 | $59,840 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 880 | $82,020 |
| Information | 720 | $72,140 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Private Detectives and Investigators Use
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for private detectives and investigators tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Education and Training
Most private detectives and investigators positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Compliance Officers (Primary-Long)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Primary-Long)
- Coroners (Supplemental)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Financial Examiners (Supplemental)
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Forensic Science Technicians (Primary-Long)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-9021.00 (Private Detectives and Investigators).
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