Headline risk
24%
Moderate RiskPrivate detectives and investigators
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 52,370
Employment 2024
43.6K
Projected Change (2024–34)
6.0%
Openings (2024–34)
3.9K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Write reports or case summaries to document investigations. AI use: 0%
- 2. Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations. AI use: 0%
- 3. Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history. AI use: 0%
- 4. Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence. AI use: 0%
- 5. Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases. AI use: 0%
- 6. Conduct private investigations on a paid basis. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.9 · 154K employed
Under 25: 4% · 25–54: 79% · 55+: 18%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Private detectives and investigators gather, analyze, and report information to clients regarding legal or personal matters.
Private detectives’ and investigators’ work settings may depend on their assignment or case. For example, they may spend time in offices to research cases, or they may work in the field while doing surveillance. Most work full time, and schedules may vary to include early mornings, nights, and weekends.
Private detectives and investigators typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent and several years of related work experience. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree. Most states require private detectives and investigators to be licensed.
The median annual wage for private detectives and investigators was $52,370 in May 2024.
Employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.