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.
National median · BLS
$51,220
▼ -2.2%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$60,150
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
35,580
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Private Detectives and Investigators
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$36,740
25th
$40,700
Median (50th)
$51,220
75th
$73,990
90th — top pay
$97,630
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Private Detectives and Investigators
BLS projects employment of private detectives and investigators to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 3,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
39,500 → 41,700
+2,200 jobs
Projected change
+5.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
3,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Plus less than 5 years experience
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
9.8% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 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.
About the job
What private detectives and investigators 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.
Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.
Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.
Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Private Detectives and Investigators, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $51,220.
