How Much Does a Private Investigator Make Per Year? Average Private Investigator Salary?

Private investigators or detectives usually have previous experience in law enforcement or insurance jobs. There are no formal education requirements to become a PI, though a bachelor’s or master’s degree may prove handy to handle certain areas of work. Their services are utilized by a wide range of firms to ascertain several facts that may pertain to background of employees or an individual’s financial condition. They also question people to get evidence for cases of child custody or divorce. In addition to documenting the investigation in the form of case summaries, they also prepare credit reports and public records. The average private investigator salary is $47,000 annually.