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The differences between 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 private investigator and a background investigator. Additionally, a background investigator has an average salary of $51,076, which is higher than the $48,019 average annual salary of a private investigator.
The top three skills for a private investigator include background checks, background investigations and video surveillance. The most important skills for a background investigator are excellent time management, work ethic, and face-to-face interviews.
| Private Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $48,019 | $51,076 |
| Hourly rate | $23.09 | $24.56 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 6,675 | 4,428 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Private investigators will require skills in surveillance, research, interviewing, critical thinking, and communication. Those who choose this career path will be called on to find information for organizations and individuals, as well as engage in different cases. An investigator's goal is to find legal, personal, or financial information through background checks, interviews, and surveillance.
The primary job of background investigators is to conduct background checks into an individual's personal and professional history that can validate or disprove their identity and character. They perform background investigations as part of hiring new employees, making an investment, and choosing a public official. Background investigators are responsible for obtaining and reviewing witness statements and arrest reports and meeting with candidates or the management to keep them updated on the investigation's progress and status. They are also responsible for completing background packages for final review and recommendation.
Private investigators and background investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Private Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Average salary | $48,019 | $51,076 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $78,000 | Between $28,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a private investigator and a background investigator in terms of educational background:
| Private Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between private investigators' and background investigators' demographics:
| Private Investigator | Background Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9% | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 57.5% 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% |