Private Investigator Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Job Numbers and Growth

Private investigators hold about 52,000 positions nationally. As an occupation, this career is ranked high for unemployment rate. About 5% of employees could not obtain a job in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Jobs in this career are most numerous in Kingsport (Tennessee), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), and Houma (Louisiana), and least common in Memphis (Tennessee), Rochester (New York), and Nashville (Tennessee).

Salaries vary the US, with the highest being found in Riverside (California), Oakland (California), and Edison (New Jersey). The lowest salaries for this job are in Rochester (New York), Nashville (Tennessee), and Jacksonville (Florida).

Training and Education

Getting work experience in a related occupation will improve one'schance of landing a job in this field. Private investigators with at least a bachelor's degree are 52% of the total. Approximately 30% of workers started college, but did not pursue a bachelor's degree. High school was sufficient education for 18% of people in this field. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Approximately, 11% of private investigators work part-time. In this field, about 30% work for themselves.

Private Investigators: An Introductory Video

Private Investigators Around the Country

In the list below, each metro area is rated for the relative popularity of private investigators compared to other locations (that is, jobs per population). Single or double up or down arrows indicate the relative popularity in that location. Within each state listing, metro areas are sorted by the actual number of jobs for private investigators.

Alaska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Anchorage	$54,000	70

Arizona

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Phoenix	$49,000	490

Arkansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Little Rock	$38,000	50

California

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
San Francisco	$57,000	760
Riverside	$80,000	360
Santa Ana	$63,000	330
Oakland	$74,000	190
Fresno	$56,000	100

Colorado

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Denver	$42,000	320
Colorado Springs	$40,000	30

Connecticut

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Hartford	$47,000	50
Norwich	$39,000	40

Delaware

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Wilmington	$52,000	30

Florida

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Tampa	$41,000	710
Orlando	$35,000	410
Jacksonville	$27,000	360
Miami	$44,000	290
West Palm Beach	$38,000	130
Sarasota	$41,000	110
Cape Coral	$44,000	90
Lakeland	$43,000	70

Georgia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Atlanta	$36,000	1,200

Hawaii

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Honolulu	$47,000	50

Idaho

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Boise	$51,000	30

Iowa

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Des Moines	$51,000	40

Kentucky

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Louisville	$37,000	50

Louisiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Houma		70
Lafayette	$39,000	40

Maryland

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Baltimore	$42,000	950

Michigan

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Detroit	$45,000	170

Missouri

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Kansas City	$39,000	520

Nevada

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Las Vegas	$50,000	130

New Jersey

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Newark	$63,000	370
Edison	$67,000	160
Trenton	$45,000	50

New York

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
New York	$59,000	840
Nassau	$47,000	340
Buffalo	$37,000	190
Rochester	$36,000	30

North Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Raleigh	$43,000	310
Charlotte	$57,000	170
Winston Salem	$33,000	80

Ohio

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Dayton	$35,000	230
Cincinnati	$39,000	210
Columbus	$49,000	170

Oklahoma

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Oklahoma City	$34,000	220
Tulsa		140

Oregon

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Portland	$44,000	130

Pennsylvania

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Pittsburgh	$36,000	990
Philadelphia		660
Scranton	$38,000	170
Allentown		110
Harrisburg	$57,000	100
Reading	$51,000	80

Rhode Island

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Providence	$48,000	60

South Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Charleston	$36,000	30

Tennessee

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Knoxville		260
Kingsport	$41,000	130
Memphis	$38,000	40
Nashville	$32,000	40

Texas

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Austin	$45,000	570
Dallas	$53,000	400
San Antonio	$54,000	360
Houston	$45,000	350
Fort Worth	$49,000	120
El Paso	$35,000	80
Corpus Christi	$52,000	40
Beaumont	$36,000	30

Washington

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Seattle	$51,000	210
Tacoma	$45,000	130
Spokane		50

Our private investigator career and school information is provided by CTI Career Search.