Private Detectives and Investigators

Median salary

$51,220

Average salary

$60,150

Employment

35,580

Projected growth

6% growth

Annual openings

3,900

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Private Detectives and Investigators Do

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.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: Less than 5 years
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 10.8%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 3 of 5

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

English Languageimportance 4.2/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.2/5
Law and Governmentimportance 4.0/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.6/5
Administrativeimportance 3.5/5
Administration and Managementimportance 3.5/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.4/5
Psychologyimportance 3.3/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Telephone Conversations4.9/5
E-Mail4.8/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.7/5
Freedom to Make Decisions4.6/5
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.4/5
Contact With Others4.3/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists98% skill match
Social and Human Service Assistants98% skill match
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents96% skill match
Chiropractors96% skill match
Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks96% skill match
Emergency Medicine Physicians96% skill match
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers96% skill match
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers95% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.8/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.5/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.4/5
Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
Service Orientationimportance 3.0/5
Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
Persuasionimportance 2.9/5
Negotiationimportance 2.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Integrity
Dependability
Attention to Detail
Self-Control
Perseverance
Stress Tolerance
Achievement Orientation

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

ConventionalHigh
EnterprisingMedium
InvestigativeMedium
SocialLow
RealisticLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where private detectives and investigators make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).