How much does a Private Investigator make?
Experience
- All years of Experience
- 0-1 Years
- 1-3 Years
- 4-6 Years
- 7-9 Years
- 10-14 Years
- 15+ Years
Industry
- All industries
- Legal
- Aerospace & Defense
- Agriculture
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
- Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology
- Management & Consulting
- Construction, Repair & Maintenance Services
- Personal Consumer Services
- Education
- Financial Services
- Government & Public Administration
- Healthcare
- Information Technology
- Insurance
- Manufacturing
- Media & Communication
- Nonprofit & NGO
- Energy, Mining & Utilities
- Real Estate
- Restaurants & Food Service
- Retail & Wholesale
- Telecommunications
- Transportation & Logistics
- Hotels & Travel Accommodation
- Human Resources & Staffing
$68K
/yrThe estimated total pay for a Private Investigator is $67,544 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $62,725 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $4,819 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.
How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $51K-$93K/yr?
For Investigator
Download as data table
What is the total pay trajectory for Investigator?
| Job Title | Salary |
|---|---|
| Investigator | $88,050 /yr |
| Senior Investigator | $140,517 /yr |
| Investigator IV | $83,145 /yr |
Top Paying Companies
For a Private Investigator in United States
Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Private Investigator in United States. Employers include ISG (MA), Command Investigations and CoventBridge Group.
Top Paying Companies
For Private Investigator in United States
| 1 | ISG (MA) | $68,563 | |
| 2 | Command Investigations | $60,888 | |
| 3 | CoventBridge Group | $59,546 | |
| 4 | Veracity Research Company | $59,062 | |
| 5 | DigiStream | $58,836 | |
| 6 | SelfEmployed.com | $57,374 | |
| 7 | Ethos Risk Services | $57,062 | |
| 8 | Litigation Solutions | $56,763 | |
| 9 | G4S | $55,688 | |
| 10 | Hub Enterprises | $55,318 |
For Investigator
Download as data table
What is the total pay trajectory for Investigator?
| Job Title | Salary |
|---|---|
| Investigator | $88,050 /yr |
| Senior Investigator | $140,517 /yr |
| Investigator IV | $83,145 /yr |
What are total pay estimates for a Private Investigator at different companies?
- Popular
- Most Reports
- Salary: high to low
- Salary: low to high
$28
/ hr
$26
/ hr
$24
/ hr
$26
/ hr
$28
/ hr
$23
/ hrIs this salary info helpful?
Let’s pay it forward! The Glassdoor community relies on people like you to share accurate salary info to promote fair compensation everywhere
$58,836
/ yr
$27
/ hr
$25
/ hr
$60,888
/ yr
$76,248
/ yr
Private Investigator Salaries
Top Paying Industries
For a Private Investigator in United States
The top 4 paying industries for a Private Investigator in United States are Insurance with a median total pay of $68,563, Management & Consulting with a median total pay of $57,062, Legal with a median total pay of $56,763 and Media & Communication with a median total pay of $52,670.
Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview
What is the pay outlook for Research & Science?
Research and science jobs offer pay well above the national average. Increased demand for STEM workers is increasing salaries in research and science. Jobs in these fields, however, often require higher education at the graduate level and/or specialized training. While domain-specific expertise gives workers in these fields access to very specialized jobs, there are also many employers who hire STEM workers for their general data and technology skills.
Recent Salaries Shared
For private investigator
Job Title
Location
Total Pay
Base Pay | Additional Pay
Total Years of Experience
Years at Recent Employer
Submitted
Date or Time
United States of America
| 15+ years
/yr
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| 1-3 years
/yr
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| 1-3 years
/hr
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| 15+ years
/yr
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| 1-3 years
/yr
$59K | $1K
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| <1 year
/yr
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| 1-3 years
/yr
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| 1-3 years
/hr
Submitted Yesterday
United States of America
| 4-6 years
/yr
Submitted Yesterday
Private Investigator pay FAQ
The average salary for a Private Investigator is $67,544 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 419 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Private Investigator employees in United States.
The highest salary for a Private Investigator in United States is $92,856 per year.
The lowest salary for a Private Investigator in United States is $50,658 per year.
If you are thinking of becoming a Private Investigator or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Private Investigator.
Private detectives may work irregular hours including early mornings, late nights, weekends or holidays. A minimum of a high school diploma is required, although a two-year degree or a four-year degree in a field related to criminal justice may be required. They earn similar pay whether they work for the insurance industry, the government, or a private guard service. They are paid similarly to claims adjusters and claims investigators, forensic science technicians, fire inspectors, and security guards.
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