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Role hub · Private Detectives and Investigators

Private Investigator: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
Pay ladder · select a percentile
Median percentile pay

Half of private investigators earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$51,220
Hourly
$24.62
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Private Investigators 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. The median pay is $51,220 a year ($24.62 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a bachelor's degree (38% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$51,220
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
35,580
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 3 of 5
medium preparation
Most common education
Bachelor's Degree
38% of workers

Data Government data groups this job as Private Detectives and Investigators (O*NET-SOC 33-9021.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

Explore the role

Every page for Private Investigators

SalaryPrivate Investigator salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →How to becomePrivate Investigator how to become

Education, training and the skills to build first.

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Parsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.

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The work

What private investigators do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.
  2. Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.
  3. Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.
  4. Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.
  5. Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.
  6. Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.
  7. Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.
  8. Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

Active ListeningcoreSpeakingcoreReading ComprehensioncoreCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingWritingSocial PerceptivenessJudgment and Decision MakingActive Learning

Knowledge areas: English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Law and Government, Computers and Electronics, Administrative, Administration and Management.

Tools and technology

Software private investigators use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • FacebookWeb page creation and editing softwareHot technology
  • Computer imaging softwareGraphics or photo imaging software
  • LexisNexisInformation retrieval or search software
  • Microsoft ExcelSpreadsheet softwareIn demand
  • Microsoft Office softwareOffice suite softwareIn demand
  • Microsoft WordWord processing softwareIn demand
  • Microsoft AccessData base user interface and query softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft OutlookElectronic mail softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft PowerPointPresentation softwareHot technology
  • Microsoft WindowsOperating system softwareHot technology
  • Email softwareElectronic mail software
  • Web browser softwareInternet browser software

Also called: Asset Protection Detective, Field Investigator, Investigator, Loss Prevention Agent, Loss Prevention Associate, Loss Prevention Detective.

Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).