Also called: Heir Hunter, Probate Genealogist
Tracks down the unknown relatives of people who died without a will, so courts can hand inheritances to the right heirs.
A woman died with a house and no known family. You search birth, marriage and death records back three generations, find that her grandfather had a brother who moved to Ohio, and locate his great-grandchildren. You call them with surprising news and prepare a family tree the court can trust.
Some firms pay a share of recovered estates.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in history or a related field; genealogy credentials help.
Ways in: 4-year college, Certification, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: History, Genealogy, Paralegal Studies.
Growing about average. Steady; estates without known heirs happen every day.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI and online databases speed up searches; building court-ready proof and making careful first calls stay human.
Classes: AP US History, English, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-3093.
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.