Private Investigator Salary – A Guide

Throughout history, the appeal of a career as a detective or sleuth has remained constant. If this is an area one is seriously considering as a career, there are several factors to consider beforehand, including what one should expect a yearly, full-time private investigator salary to provide. Whether a sole proprietor or an employee of an agency, a person usually charges per the hour for investigative work. In the United States, the average rate is $50 per hour. However, depending on the duties, the risk and location, this may be as low as $30 or as high as $200 per hour.

Private investigator salary is location sensible

The location that a person chooses to work will be a great variable as to what one can expect the private investigator salary to be. In highly affluent areas, such as Bel Air or Beverley Hills, California or Manhattan and cities located on Long Island, New York, clients can afford to pay much more, and therefore, individuals and agencies can request a higher rate. In addition, clients in high-income areas are willing to pay a private investigator salary to an individual exclusively as a retainer for confidentiality and on-going work. In these locations, a private investigator salary can reach six-figures, annually.

When considering whether this is a career that one wants to delve in to, of course the private investigator salary and bonuses are necessary to consider, but the what, where, how and other questions pertaining to the details of the work must make sense when fitting in with the rest of your life. Many individuals work very long hours. Often, these hours are after midnight or necessary on weekends which can interfere with family life. When a person is just starting out as a sole proprietor, there can be a costly outlay of capital necessary to set up the business that may not be recovered for a few years. If one works for an agency, the agency charges a fee per hour to the client and the employee usually receives less than half of that fee. So, checking out that an agency has a good quantity of work is important. If one is working in an area that is fraught with drug traffic, violent crimes, and many times fatal incidents, no matter how much a private investigator salary is may have a person re-thinking entering this line of work. Usually in high crime areas, the pay per hour for investigators tends to be low. Depending on the nature and risk involved, the private investigator salary can be a good one. But, if surveillance, fact-checking and research are part of the tasks, the hourly rate can be low. Sometimes law firms hire detectives to do this work because it is cheaper than having a law firm employee carry out these less risky tasks. This is a good way for an interested person to feel out whether his or her fact-finding skills are what they should be; whether one’s temperament for seemingly endless hours of just plain watching and waiting is strong; and whether the sometimes unpleasant details of discovery such as reading coroner reports or seeing crime scene photos takes the glamour out of the job and gives a more realistic idea of what to expect. However, if a person not only has a penchant for investigating, but also thrives on performing dangerous tasks such as bounty-hunting, traveling out of the country to areas where security is low, or investigating high-profile persons with tight security surrounding them such as celebrities or criminal bosses, the work can be quite prosperous. In addition, the more seasoned the person becomes, the more one can charge as reputation is a big factor in this business. High-paying clients are expecting excellent results, but they are also expecting a job where no trace is left behind.

Conclusion about private investigator salary

Starting out, a newcomer into the profession can expect to earn an average of $25,000 per year. This is solely or working for an agency. Initial outlays for the individual and an agency’s tendency to give less billable jobs to new employees are factors initially. However, once a person becomes seasoned, the annual private investigator salary in the United States is around $50,000 a year. Again, depending on the risk, this salary can be much higher. Many private investigators double as bodyguards making this figure increase significantly. It is worth noting again, that the life of a private investigator is not an easy one. It is not the glitz and glamour shown on television and in the movies. There is serious risk involved in many cases, so one must consider other responsibilities in life when deciding if this is one’s calling.

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