Licensed private investigator demographics and statistics in the US
Licensed private investigator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates licensed private investigator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our licensed private investigator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about licensed private investigators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 4,713 licensed private investigators currently employed in the United States.
- 33.8% of all licensed private investigators are women, while 66.2% are men.
- The average licensed private investigator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of licensed private investigators is White (56.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.6%), Black or African American (13.6%) and Unknown (5.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 88% of what men earned.
- 8% of all licensed private investigators are LGBT.
- Licensed private investigators are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Licensed private investigator demographics by:
Licensed private investigator gender statistics
33.8% of licensed private investigators are women and 66.2% of licensed private investigators are men.
- Male, 66.2%
- Female, 33.8%
Licensed private investigator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 66.2% |
| Female | 33.8% |
Licensed private investigator gender pay gap
Women earn 88¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$52,264
Female income
$45,744
Licensed private investigator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in licensed private investigator positions over time. Currently, 33.8% of licensed private investigators are female.
Licensed private investigator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.09% | 26.91% |
| 2011 | 70.17% | 29.83% |
| 2012 | 64.53% | 35.47% |
| 2013 | 69.98% | 30.02% |
| 2014 | 67.58% | 32.42% |
| 2015 | 68.69% | 31.31% |
| 2016 | 66.37% | 33.63% |
| 2017 | 68.99% | 31.01% |
| 2018 | 68.94% | 31.06% |
| 2019 | 65.69% | 34.31% |
| 2020 | 65.99% | 34.01% |
| 2021 | 66.18% | 33.82% |
Licensed private investigator related jobs gender ratio
We compared licensed private investigators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Licensed Private Investigator | 66% | 34% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Licensed private investigator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among licensed private investigators is White, which makes up 56.1% of all licensed private investigators. Comparatively, 19.6% of licensed private investigators are Hispanic or Latino and 13.6% of licensed private investigators are Black or African American.
- White, 56.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.6%
- Black or African American, 13.6%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- Asian, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Licensed private investigator race
| Licensed private investigator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.6% |
| Black or African American | 13.6% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| Asian | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Licensed private investigator race and ethnicity over time
See how licensed private investigator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Licensed private investigator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.53% | 9.71% | 3.64% | 17.28% |
| 2011 | 62.60% | 12.50% | 3.20% | 19.58% |
| 2012 | 63.53% | 11.84% | 4.00% | 17.61% |
| 2013 | 61.79% | 13.25% | 2.73% | 18.64% |
| 2014 | 64.56% | 12.19% | 2.70% | 17.06% |
| 2015 | 62.17% | 12.54% | 4.00% | 18.73% |
| 2016 | 62.33% | 11.36% | 4.08% | 19.20% |
| 2017 | 62.25% | 10.14% | 5.10% | 18.20% |
| 2018 | 60.71% | 13.32% | 4.61% | 18.09% |
| 2019 | 60.38% | 12.86% | 5.35% | 19.44% |
| 2020 | 62.59% | 11.42% | 3.51% | 18.35% |
| 2021 | 56.13% | 13.64% | 4.68% | 19.61% |
Licensed private investigator wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown licensed private investigators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american licensed private investigators have the lowest average salary at $49,745.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $53,196 |
| White | $53,048 |
| Black or African American | $49,745 |
| Asian | $52,592 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $52,818 |
Average licensed private investigator age
See how the average age of licensed private investigators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Licensed private investigator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 48 | 36.5 |
| White | 43 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 46 | 47 |
| Asian | 43.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42 | 40 |
Licensed private investigator age breakdown
The average age of licensed private investigators is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the licensed private investigator population.
Licensed private investigator age breakdown
| Licensed Private Investigator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Licensed private investigator educational attainment
The most common degree for licensed private investigators is bachelor's degree, with 55% of licensed private investigators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 26%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Licensed private investigators by degree level
| Licensed private investigator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Associate | 26% |
| Master's | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Licensed private investigator jobs you might like
Licensed private investigator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, licensed private investigators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $59,704 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, licensed private investigators earn a median annual income of $51,699 compared to $44,615 for licensed private investigators with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $59,704 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,921 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,699 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,615 |
Licensed private investigator employment statistics
Most licensed private investigators work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where licensed private investigators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where licensed private investigators work.
Licensed private investigator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Licensed private investigator jobs by company type
Employees with the licensed private investigator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most licensed private investigators prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Licensed private investigator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 17% |
Licensed private investigator jobs by industry
The most common industries for licensed private investigators are professional, government and technology.
Licensed private investigator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 23% |
| Government | 12% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Utilities | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Real Estate | 5% |
| Insurance | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Licensed private investigator turnover and employment statistics
Licensed private investigator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for licensed private investigators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Licensed private investigator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Licensed private investigator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.58% |
| 2011 | 7.05% |
| 2012 | 4.89% |
| 2013 | 5.47% |
| 2014 | 4.38% |
| 2015 | 3.03% |
| 2016 | 1.98% |
| 2017 | 2.44% |
| 2018 | 2.70% |
| 2019 | 2.51% |
| 2020 | 4.40% |
| 2021 | 3.23% |
Average licensed private investigator tenure
The average licensed private investigator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 857 licensed private investigators resumes in Zippia's database.
Licensed private investigator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 10% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 28% |
Licensed private investigator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of licensed private investigators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| School Crossing Guard | 3.84% | 35,018 |
| Watchman | 6.29% | 54,962 |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 7.17% | 62,658 |
| Swim Lesson Instructor | 7.20% | 24,835 |
| Licensed Private Investigator | 8.27% | - |
| Screener | 15.51% | 3,108 |
Similar licensed private investigator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| School Crossing Guard | 3.84% | 35,018 |
| Watchman | 6.29% | 54,962 |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 7.17% | 62,658 |
| Swim Lesson Instructor | 7.20% | 24,835 |
| Screener | 15.51% | 3,108 |
Foreign languages spoken by licensed private investigators
The most common foreign language among licensed private investigators is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 11.1% and French is the third-most popular at 11.1%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- German, 11.1%
- French, 11.1%
- Swedish, 5.6%
- Portuguese, 5.6%
- Other, 16.6%
Licensed private investigator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| German | 11.1% |
| French | 11.1% |
| Swedish | 5.6% |
| Portuguese | 5.6% |
| Other | 16.6% |
