Licensed private investigator vs background investigator

The differences between licensed private investigators and background investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a licensed private investigator and a background investigator. Additionally, a background investigator has an average salary of $51,076, which is higher than the $47,204 average annual salary of a licensed private investigator.

The top three skills for a licensed private investigator include background checks, child abuse and insurance fraud. The most important skills for a background investigator are excellent time management, work ethic, and face-to-face interviews.

Licensed private investigator vs background investigator overview

	Licensed Private Investigator	Background Investigator
Yearly salary	$47,204	$51,076
Hourly rate	$22.69	$24.56
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	16,954	4,428
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

Licensed private investigator vs background investigator salary

Licensed private investigators and background investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Licensed Private Investigator	Background Investigator
Average salary	$47,204	$51,076
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $74,000	Between $28,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between licensed private investigator and background investigator education

There are a few differences between a licensed private investigator and a background investigator in terms of educational background:

	Licensed Private Investigator	Background Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	California State University - Bakersfield

Licensed private investigator vs background investigator demographics

Here are the differences between licensed private investigators' and background investigators' demographics:

	Licensed Private Investigator	Background Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8%	Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 4.7% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 15.2% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.6% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between licensed private investigator and background investigator duties and responsibilities

Licensed private investigator example responsibilities.

Manage and dispose of claims in litigation by preparing and developing strategy with defense counsel and consensus relative to litigation handling.
Deliver subpoenas, interview witnesses and clients, write reports, some surveillance experience.
Serve subpoenas and legal documents, supervise special events to include short and long term security operations.
Create quality control documentation associate with manufacturing process, raw materials and quality testing procedures according to corporate and FDA guidelines.
Identify and accurately report extremely time sensitive and confidential data in accordance with HIPPA guidelines.

Background investigator example responsibilities.

Participate in and lead the controlled purchase of illegal narcotics and firearms to apprehend suspects.
Conduct covert surveillance, deploy camera systems & GPS trackers, & report findings to be used in family court cases.
Provide EEO education and training.
Have top Secert ssbi clearance in JPAS
Comply with DOD site security protocols.
Conduct background investigations on behalf of CBP.

Licensed private investigator vs background investigator skills

Common licensed private investigator skills

Background Checks, 11%
Child Abuse, 10%
Insurance Fraud, 9%
Background Investigations, 8%
Minimum Standards, 8%
Administrative Hearings, 6%

Common background investigator skills

Excellent Time Management, 18%
Work Ethic, 18%
Face-To-Face Interviews, 11%
National Security, 8%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 8%
Financial Institutions, 7%

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Licensed Private Investigator
Licensed Private Investigator vs Background Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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