Also called: Private Detective, PI
Investigates people and facts for clients like lawyers, businesses, and families.
PIs do surveillance from parked cars, search databases, find missing people, run background checks, and serve as investigators for defense attorneys. Many are former police officers and run their own small agencies.
Agency owners and specialists can earn much more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma plus investigative experience; most states require a PI license.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification, 2-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Criminal Justice, Journalism, Psychology.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years). BLS private detectives and investigators (approx.).
Medium risk for 10 years. AI database and social-media searches do much of the desk research; surveillance and interviews stay human.
Classes: Psychology, English composition, Computer science, Photography.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-9021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.