Best degree programs for Private Detectives and Investigators, ranked by enrollment
4 college programs and 652 schools train Private Detectives and Investigators. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $51,220 median wage, 35,580 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
4 college programs at 652 schools train private detectives and investigators, graduating 22,758 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Criminal Justice/Police Science. The job pays a median of $51,220 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About private detectives and 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.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
4 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 43.0107 | 19,975 | 87.8% | 540 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
| 2 | CIP 43.0403 | 2,457 | 10.8% | 126 | $40,889 | $25,000 |
| 3 | CIP 43.0405 | 284 | 1.2% | 29 | $40,889 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 43.0120 | 42 | 0.2% | 6 | $37,408 | $24,069 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What private detectives and investigators earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $61,250 | 4,190 | 1.01× | 31 | 2,825 |
| Florida | $50,640 | 3,660 | 1.61× | 42 | 2,567 |
| Texas | $51,810 | 3,220 | 1.00× | 41 | 2,120 |
| Arizona | $61,030 | 790 | 1.07× | 18 | 1,344 |
| New York | $59,140 | 1,300 | 0.59× | 31 | 1,140 |
| Ohio | $47,200 | 1,560 | 1.23× | 43 | 1,065 |
| New Jersey | $54,710 | 410 | 0.42× | 21 | 995 |
| Minnesota | $57,880 | 600 | 0.88× | 21 | 887 |
| Wisconsin | $41,850 | 410 | 0.61× | 17 | 748 |
| Maryland | — | 560 | 0.89× | 18 | 736 |
| North Carolina | $52,890 | 1,710 | 1.51× | 34 | 735 |
| Illinois | $60,210 | 1,300 | 0.93× | 31 | 729 |
| Michigan | $48,650 | 850 | 0.85× | 28 | 696 |
| Oklahoma | $39,680 | 370 | 0.96× | 24 | 523 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,200 | 1,220 | 0.88× | 27 | 523 |
| Colorado | $48,730 | 540 | 0.82× | 12 | 505 |
| Virginia | $56,160 | 1,280 | 1.36× | 10 | 496 |
| Alabama | $46,810 | 530 | 1.10× | 13 | 347 |
| Tennessee | $49,360 | 940 | 1.26× | 7 | 344 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $75,010 | 400 | 1.03× | 4 | 327 |
| Georgia | $45,060 | 1,460 | 1.30× | 15 | 309 |
| Massachusetts | $50,240 | 280 | 0.34× | 10 | 274 |
| Arkansas | $47,750 | 370 | 1.23× | 10 | 256 |
| Missouri | $41,600 | 590 | 0.87× | 16 | 255 |
| Iowa | $41,110 | 170 | 0.48× | 11 | 244 |
| West Virginia | $46,410 | 170 | 1.03× | 8 | 170 |
| Mississippi | $39,060 | 330 | 1.22× | 5 | 159 |
| Washington | $64,080 | 750 | 0.92× | 10 | 120 |
| Nevadamoderate | — | 350 | 0.98× | 4 | 100 |
| Vermontlimited | $67,910 | 90 | 1.28× | 1 | 89 |
| Indiana | $41,830 | 480 | 0.66× | 6 | 83 |
| Alaskalimited | $53,440 | 70 | 0.97× | 2 | 74 |
| Utahmoderate | $57,910 | 350 | 0.89× | 4 | 69 |
| New Mexico | $41,600 | — | — | 6 | 66 |
| Delawarelimited | $55,710 | 110 | 1.01× | 1 | 63 |
| Idahomoderate | $47,910 | 210 | 1.09× | 3 | 63 |
| Louisianamoderate | $41,950 | 860 | 1.94× | 3 | 63 |
| Kentuckymoderate | $47,650 | 350 | 0.76× | 4 | 60 |
| Hawaiimoderate | $45,750 | 70 | 0.46× | 4 | 53 |
| Rhode Islandmoderate | $54,620 | 60 | 0.49× | 4 | 52 |
| Oregon | $76,480 | 610 | 1.35× | 6 | 42 |
| North Dakotalimited | $44,310 | 60 | 0.56× | 2 | 41 |
| Wyominglimited | $54,310 | 40 | 0.56× | 1 | 36 |
| Nebraskalimited | $51,750 | 160 | 0.69× | 2 | 35 |
| New Hampshiremoderate | $65,370 | 280 | 1.81× | 4 | 35 |
| Kansas | $45,260 | 280 | 0.86× | 8 | 34 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $44,840 | 60 | 0.56× | 3 | 31 |
| South Carolinamoderate | $51,530 | 620 | 1.17× | 3 | 22 |
| Mainelimited | $43,830 | 210 | 1.40× | 2 | 21 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- 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.
Skills
- Active Listening4.1
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Writing3.6
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Learning3.4
- Learning Strategies2.5
Knowledge areas
- English Language4.2
- Customer and Personal Service4.2
- Law and Government4.0
- Computers and Electronics3.6
- Administrative3.5
- Administration and Management3.5
Abilities
- Inductive Reasoning4.1
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Problem Sensitivity4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Near Vision4.0
- Deductive Reasoning3.9
Core activities
- Getting Information4.8
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.6
- Documenting/Recording Information4.5
- Working with Computers4.3
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.3
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.1
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Private Detective
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 7 majors mapped to Private Detectives and Investigators4 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 43.0107Criminal Justice/Police Science
- 43.0115Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management(no graduates reported)
- 43.0120Protective Services Operations
- 43.0122Maritime Law Enforcement(no graduates reported)
- 43.0123Cultural/Archaelogical Resources Protection(no graduates reported)
- 43.0403Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism
- 43.0405Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Private Detective?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Criminal Justice/Police Science, which awarded 19,975 degrees in 2024-25, 87.8% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Private Detective?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 4 programs to this occupation. The largest are Criminal Justice and Corrections, Security Science and Technology. Together they graduate about 22,758 people a year.
How much do private detectives and investigators earn?+
The median is $51,220 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $36,740 at the 10th percentile to $97,630 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for private detectives and investigators growing?+
BLS projects a +6.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 3,900 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
652 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 4 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do private detectives and investigators work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Investigator, Private Investigator, Loss Prevention Officer, Loss Prevention Detective among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 33-9021.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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