Private Detectives and Investigators Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of private detectives and investigators to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035 (about 2,200 more jobs), with about 3,200 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $51,220 a year ranks 526th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +5.5%
- Openings a year
- 3,200
- Median pay
- $51,220
- Pay rank
- 526th of 825
Is employment of private detectives and investigators growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of private detectives and investigators to rise 5.5% (about 2,200 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +1.1% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 24 protective service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 201st of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 39,500 |
| Employment, 2035 | 41,700 |
| Projected change | +5.5% |
| Openings a year | 3,200 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 39,500 jobs here differ from the 35,580 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 3,200 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 464th most of 830 occupations. About 93% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 220 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for private detectives and investigators rank?
The median of $51,220 a year ranks 526th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the lower half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Work experience in a related occupation: less than 5 years.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | +0.2% | 7,800 | $93,790 |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | +3.0% | 22,600 | $42,540 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | +3.5% | 51,500 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | +3.3% | 10,600 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | +3.7% | 6,800 | $55,940 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | +4.1% | 9,400 | $81,100 |
| Compliance Officers | +3.8% | 32,700 | $80,730 |
| Forensic Science Technicians | +13.3% | 2,800 | $72,060 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.