Private Detectives and Investigators

What Private Detectives and Investigators Do

Private detectives and investigators search for information about legal, financial, and personal matters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNOImo84oHI

Work Environment

Private detectives and investigators work in many places, depending on their assignment or case. Some spend more time in offices, researching cases on computers, while others spend more time in the field, conducting interviews and performing surveillance. Private detectives and investigators often work irregular hours.

How to Become a Private Detective or Investigator

Most private detectives and investigators need several years of work experience and a high school diploma. In addition, the vast majority of states require private detectives and investigators to have a license.

Pay

The median annual wage for private detectives and investigators was $50,510 in May 2019.

Job Outlook

Employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for private detectives and investigators will stem from security concerns and from the need to protect confidential information. Strong competition can be expected for jobs.

Private detectives and investigators search for information about legal, financial, and personal matters. They offer many services, such as verifying people’s backgrounds and statements, finding missing persons, and investigating computer crimes.

Duties

Private detectives and investigators typically do the following:

• Interview people to gather information
• Search online, public, and court records to uncover clues
• Conduct surveillance
• Collect evidence for clients
• Check for civil judgments and criminal history

Private detectives and investigators offer many services for individuals, attorneys, and businesses. Examples include performing background checks, investigating employees for possible theft from a company, proving or disproving infidelity in a divorce case, and helping to locate a missing person.

Private detectives and investigators use a variety of tools when researching the facts in a case. Much of their work is done with a computer, allowing them to obtain information such as telephone numbers, details about social networks, descriptions of online activities, and records of a person’s prior arrests. They make phone calls to verify facts and interview people when conducting a background investigation.

Detectives also conduct surveillance when investigating a case. They may watch locations, such as a person’s home or office, often from a hidden position. Using cameras and binoculars, detectives gather information on people of interest.

Detectives and investigators must be mindful of the law when conducting investigations. Because they lack police authority, their work must be done with the same authority as a private citizen. As a result, detectives and investigators must have a good understanding of federal, state, and local laws, such as privacy laws, and other legal issues affecting their work. Otherwise, evidence they collect may not be useable in court and they could face prosecution.

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

Private detectives and investigators held about 36,200 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of private detectives and investigators were as follows:

Investigation, guard, and armored car services	39%
Finance and insurance	10
Government	8
Self-employed workers	3

Private detectives and investigators work in many environments, depending on the case. Some spend more time in offices, researching cases on computers and making phone calls. Others spend more time in the field, conducting interviews or performing surveillance. In addition, private detectives and investigators may have to work outdoors or from a vehicle, in all kinds of weather, in order to obtain the information their client needs.

Although investigators often work alone, some work with others while conducting surveillance or carrying out large, complicated assignments.

Work Schedules

Private detectives and investigators often work irregular hours because they conduct surveillance and contact people outside of normal work hours. They may work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

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	Median Annual Pay, May 2019
	Accountants and Auditors	Accountants and auditors prepare and examine financial records.	Bachelor’s degree	$71,550
	Bill and Account Collectors	Bill and account collectors try to recover payment on overdue bills.	High school diploma or equivalent	$37,000
	Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators	Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators evaluate insurance claims.	See How to Become One	$66,540
	Financial Examiners	Financial examiners ensure compliance with laws governing financial institutions and transactions.	Bachelor’s degree	$81,090
	Security Guards and Gambling Surveillance Officers	Security guards and gambling surveillance officers protect property from illegal activity.	High school diploma or equivalent	$29,710
	Paralegals and Legal Assistants	Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers.	Associate’s degree	$51,740
	Fire Inspectors	Fire inspectors examine buildings in order to detect fire hazards and ensure that federal, state, and local fire codes are met.	See How to Become One	$60,230
	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	$65,170
	Forensic Science Technicians	Forensic science technicians aid criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence.	Bachelor’s degree	$59,150

For more information about private detectives and investigators, including information on certification, visit

National Association of Legal Investigators

ASIS International

For more information about state licensing requirements, visit

Professional Investigator Magazine

O*NET

Private Detectives and Investigators