Private Investigator Job Description Information

A private investigator (PI) is hired to help people find information. They might find work assisting individuals, businesses or attorneys in areas such as criminal cases, civil liability, insurance fraud, child custody and missing persons. A PI might also be hired to conduct pre-employment screenings, background profiles or to uncover marital infidelity.

 

Responsibilities

• Private detectives gather information for individual clients and businesses such as background checks, accident investigations, financial and legal issues. The detective uncovers facts for clients, analyzes the information and presents it to the client for his use. Private investigators may work for lawyers and insurance companies to provide facts regarding a case or insurance claim.

Skills

• A private detective must have good communication skills to work with the public and clients. A skilled investigator must have excellent research skills, persistence, and the ability to question individuals regarding the case.

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Private Investigator Salary Information

The term private investigator and private detective are often used interchangeably. However, private investigators tend to work more with citizens and businesses in divorce, computer security and other cases, while private detectives deal more with government agencies and police departments. However, the qualifications and salaries are similar. Thus, there is some overlap in their duties. Both may be involved in missing person or child cases; or read public records and testify at hearings. Both usually earn annual salaries.

 

Average Median Salary

• The average annual median salary for a private investigator is $41,760, based on 2008 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Median salaries refer to those that are in the exact middle of lists, not the average or mean of all salaries combined. The middle half of all private investigators earn median salaries between $30,870 and $59,060 per year. The top 10 percent earn earn median salaries of more than $76,640 per year. The lowest 10 percent earn median salaries of $23,500 per year. Both private investigator and detective salaries are combined in Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Salary by Industry

• Private investigators' salaries can vary considerably by industry. For example, they earn their highest average salaries working in the management, scientific and technical consulting industry, with an annual average of $90,030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those in the natural gas distribution industry earn the second-highest salaries at $83,080 per year. Additionally, private investigators working in the computer systems design industry earn salaries of $79,380 per year; and those in the architectural and engineering industry earn $77,780 annually.

Salary by State

• Private investigator salaries can also vary by state. For example, those in Virginia earn the highest average or mean salaries at $68,420 per year, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They earn their second-highest salaries in New Mexico at $64,730 per year. Additionally, private investigators can expect to earn annual salaries of $61,750 per year in New Jersey; $59,650 annually in Alaska; and $59,430 in Delaware.

Salary by Metropolitan Area

• Private investigators earn the highest average salaries in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California metropolitan area at $82,340 per year, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They earn their second-highest annual salaries in the Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, California area at $77,010 per year. These professionals can expect to earn salaries of $74,080 in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California area; $73,300 per year in the Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, California metropolitan area; and $72,050 in the San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, California area.

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How to Become a Private Investigator

Private investigators work for attorneys, insurance companies, businesses and the general public; they may be on staff at a large corporation or be self-employed. Their duties include gathering information for clients, locating missing persons, conducting surveillance, and doing background investigations for court cases.

1. Realize that many people in this field have a military or law enforcement background. Others have college degrees in business, criminal justice or political science. They are your competition for jobs.
2. Enroll in a detective school if you don't have any of the experience listed above. You'll be taught the skills that a private investigator needs to have, including how to fingerprint, take samples of evidence, write reports and use firearms.
3. Polish your writing skills. This is one of the most important things you can do to ensure success. You'll need to write reports frequently and they must be of professional quality.
4. Become proficient at using credit checks and computer searching resources, such as Lexis-Nexis. They'll be a large part of your work, and this skill can be your entry into working for a firm.
5. Apply for your private investigator's license if one is required in your state. Your local police department or a local detective agency can tell you which government division handles this.

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