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Licensed private investigator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a licensed private investigator. Licensed private investigators usually study criminal justice, business, or psychology. 55% of licensed private investigators hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 857 real licensed private investigator resumes to see exactly what licensed private investigator education sections show.
The most common colleges for licensed private investigators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online licensed private investigator courses to help get the education required to be a licensed private investigator.
There are certain licensed private investigator certifications that you should consider. These licensed private investigator certifications include Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become a licensed private investigator?
What degree do you need to be a licensed private investigator?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 26%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a licensed private investigator?
- Criminal Justice, 39%
- Business, 14%
- Psychology, 6%
- Law Enforcement, 5%
- Other Majors, 36%
Most common colleges for licensed private investigators
| Licensed private investigator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 17.24% |
| John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York | 8.05% |
| Sam Houston State University | 8.05% |
| Miami Dade College | 5.75% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 5.75% |
Best majors for licensed private investigators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 39.4% |
| 2 | Business | 14.2% |
| 3 | Psychology | 5.7% |
| 4 | Law Enforcement | 4.8% |
| 5 | Law | 4.4% |
Best colleges for licensed private investigators
The best colleges for licensed private investigators are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A licensed private investigator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for licensed private investigators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become licensed private investigators.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Enrollment
9,394
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
7. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
8. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
9. SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,369
Enrollment
5,229
10. SUNY College at Oswego
Oswego, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,440
Enrollment
7,039
20 best online courses for licensed private investigators
Advertising disclosure
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3. Investigative Journalism
How to find hidden sources. How to look for documents and people...
4. IFCI Expert Cybercrime Investigator's Course
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5. Investigating Epidemics like COVID-19: An Analyst's Guide
Do you want to learn how to detect, identify the cause, and decrease the morbidity and mortality from outbreaks or pandemics like COVID-19? Are you considering a career in public health practice, but aren’t sure how health departments collect and use outbreak data? Are you working in public health, but interested in moving into analytical and/or technical roles or curious how health departments investigate outbreaks? If so, this course is for you. After taking this course you be able to define...
6. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague
International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...
7. AML Case Investigation Skills
A guide to conducting AML case investigations, writing quality case narratives and the submission of STRs (STR filing)...
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The 14 hour course(50casestudies) helps to understand fraud examination, forensic audit,financial crime, data analytics...
9. Introduction to International Criminal Law
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11. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
12. Investment Banking and Finance: Private Equity Finance
Investment Banking and Finance: Private Equity Finance Masterclass: Fundraising, Valuation, PE Deals from Entry to Exit...
13. Digital Forensics Masterclass: Forensic Science 2023 DFMC+
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14. The Essentials of Private Equity - What You Need to Know!
A time-efficient way to learn the must-knows of private equity!...
15. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary
An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...
16. Digital Forensics and Cyber-Crime Investigation
Computer Forensics...
17. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
18. Part 1 FAA Private Pilot Ground School (Part 61)
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19. Navigating the Complexities of Software License Agreements
Software License Agreements...
20. Forensic Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE
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Top 10 most affordable universities for licensed private investigators
The most affordable schools for licensed private investigators are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for licensed private investigators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for licensed private investigators.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for licensed private investigators
The hardest universities for licensed private investigators to get into are Boston University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for licensed private investigators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for licensed private investigators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
6. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
7. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
9. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for licensed private investigators
The easiest schools for licensed private investigators to get into are Nyack College, notre dame college, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a licensed private investigator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for licensed private investigators.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
9. Manor College
Jenkintown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
898
10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
Average licensed private investigator salary by education level
| Licensed private investigator education level | Licensed private investigator 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 education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025