Private investigator vs detective investigator

The differences between private investigators and detective 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 detective investigator. Additionally, a detective investigator has an average salary of $53,616, 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 detective investigator are physical evidence, patrol, and law enforcement agencies.

Private investigator vs detective investigator overview

	Private Investigator	Detective Investigator
Yearly salary	$48,019	$53,616
Hourly rate	$23.09	$25.78
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	6,675	20,213
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

Private investigator vs detective investigator salary

Private investigators and detective investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Private Investigator	Detective Investigator
Average salary	$48,019	$53,616
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $78,000	Between $37,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between private investigator and detective investigator education

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

	Private Investigator	Detective Investigator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Private investigator vs detective investigator demographics

Here are the differences between private investigators' and detective investigators' demographics:

	Private Investigator	Detective Investigator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9%	Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7%
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, 13.4% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 4.6% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between private investigator and detective investigator duties and responsibilities

Private investigator example responsibilities.

Manage all business reporting to include; payroll, taxes, client billing, account reconciliations and compliance reports.
Take ownership of the queue and promptly escalate any issues or obstacles to completing daily SAR filings
Conduct SIU, fraud, criminal, civil, and exploratory investigations as defined in client contracts.
Conduct different types of SIU investigations as well as civil, criminal, and asset background courthouse checks.
Serve subpoenas, coordinate witness court appearances, compile information from interviews, and developed/maintain community and informant contacts.
Create quality control documentation associate with manufacturing process, raw materials and quality testing procedures according to corporate and FDA guidelines.

Detective investigator example responsibilities.

Receive multiple letters of commendation for effective investigations that lead to successful prosecutions.
Prepare in-depth detail reports including arrest warrants, search warrants, subpoenas and court orders for criminal prosecution.
Prepare subpoenas and search warrants for account information from various companies and entities for follow-up investigations.
Analyze high risk transaction activity and provide final approval of investigative case analyses utilize for SAR preparation and filing.
Establish a review procedure with IRS and assign an analyst.

Private investigator vs detective investigator skills

Common private investigator skills

Background Checks, 15%
Background Investigations, 12%
Video Surveillance, 12%
Subpoenas, 5%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 5%
Computer Database, 4%

Common detective investigator skills

Physical Evidence, 14%
Patrol, 12%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 7%
Insurance Fraud, 5%
Homicide, 5%
Electronic Surveillance, 4%

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Private Investigator
Private Investigator vs Detective Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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