Salary Range
$25,000 to $100,000Overview
Private investigators provide investigative services for clients who may be individuals or businesses. They help solve crimes and provide information for law cases by searching for information on legal, financial, and personal matters. Depending on their specialty, they offer services such as verifying people's backgrounds and their statements, locating missing persons, and investigating computer crimes. They may go undercover to conduct surveillance and gather information. Types of private investigators include computer forensics investigators, legal investigators, corporate investigators, and financial investigators. According to the Department of Labor, there were 38,800 private investigators and detectives working in the United States in May 2023. The private detective industry generates approximately $18.2 billion in revenue and is expected to continue performing strongly, with revenues totaling $28.2 billion by 2032, according to Fact.MR.
Minimum Education Level
High School DiplomaCertification/License
RequiredOutlook
About as Fast as the AveragePersonality Traits
Curious
Organized
Problem-Solving
Career Ladder
Private Investigator Manager
Private Investigator
Intern
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