What is a private detective and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a private detective. For example, did you know that they make an average of $20.29 an hour? That's $42,195 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 2,100 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScorePrivate DetectiveUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $42,195

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.1

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%

Asian 4.79%

Black or African American 14.45%

Hispanic or Latino 17.93%

Unknown 5.55%

White 57.03%

Gender

female 22.84%

male 77.16%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress Level
7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.9

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.3

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Private Detective career paths

Key steps to become a private detective

  1. Explore private detective education requirements

    Most common private detective degrees

    Bachelor's

    49.4 %

    Associate

    22.4 %

    High School Diploma

    14.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific private detective skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Insurance Fraud18.05%
    Background Checks16.39%
    Background Investigations7.83%
    Law Enforcement Agencies6.39%
    Loss Prevention6.36%
  3. Complete relevant private detective training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New private detectives learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a private detective based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real private detective resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed private detective usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed private detective in most of states. 33 states require private detectives to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    State
    ascdesc
    Education
    ascdesc
    Exam
    ascdesc
    License Url
    ascdesc
    Alabama--Licensed Private Investigator
    MarylandSpecific course requiredState exam requiredPRIVATE DETECTIVE
    ArkansasDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredPrivate Investigator
    California-State exam requiredPrivate Investigator
    Colorado-State exam requiredPrivate Investigator 1
  5. Research private detective duties and responsibilities

    • Manage all business reporting to include; payroll, taxes, client billing, account reconciliations and compliance reports.
    • Serve subpoenas and coordinate the request and compliance from a subpoena.
    • Conduct interviews, track down witnesses, use of GPS tracking devices, perform surveillance written reports
    • Observe and document activities of individuals to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video equipment.
  6. Prepare your private detective resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your private detective resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a private detective resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Private Detective Resume templates

    Build a professional Private Detective resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Private Detective resume.
    Private Detective Resume
    Private Detective Resume
    Private Detective Resume
    Private Detective Resume
    Private Detective Resume
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    Private Detective Resume
    Private Detective Resume
  7. Apply for private detective jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a private detective job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Private Detective Job

Zippi

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Average private detective salary

The average Private Detective salary in the United States is $42,195 per year or $20 per hour. Private detective salaries range between $25,000 and $69,000 per year.

Average Private Detective Salary
$42,195 Yearly
$20.29 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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