Career
Private detectives and investigators
Find the facts people and businesses need.
$51,220
Median pay
+5.5%
Job growth, 2025–35
3,200
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then persuasion & leadership?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $51,220 a year and 3,200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Criminal JusticeSee the degree →
- Criminal Justice/Police ScienceCIP 43.0107
- Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence ManagementCIP 43.0115
- Protective Services OperationsCIP 43.0120
- Maritime Law EnforcementCIP 43.0122
- Cultural/Archaelogical Resources ProtectionCIP 43.0123
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790 · +0.2%
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
- Intelligence Analysts
- Police Identification and Records Officers
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.