Private Investigator: Education Requirements & Licensing

The private investigator description is a somewhat broad one. Private investigators help their clients determine facts in a case. They use similar methods that a police officer may use, such as searching and undercover surveillance of a subject. They often make phone calls, conduct background checks and photograph a subject covertly.

Private detectives perform investigative work for individuals, businesses and other clients. They are often employed to verify facts and, sometimes, suspicions on the part of their clients according to federal and state law. Many states require private detectives to have a license, but formal education is not required for this job.

Source:*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

While there are no official formal education requirements for working as a private investigator and while there is no official private investigator degree, many in the industry have degrees in fields that assist their modern investigation skills. For instance, much of today's investigation work is done through computers. In order for a private investigator to have an understanding of computer forensics, education for private investigator candidates must include a background in computer information systems.

Private investigators' specialties depend on their training and degree field. Some specialties may include computer forensic investigators, legal investigators, financial investigators and corporate investigators. For those who wonder, ''how long does it take to become a private investigator?'', the chosen specialty will be a large determining factor.

Many private investigators developed their skills during former careers as police officers. If this is the case, a private investigator must have completed the necessary education to work as a police officer, which often includes a high school degree and at least two years of college.

In addition to the private investigator education requirements, there are a number of competencies and skills that are needed to be an effective investigator. Much of the success or failure of an investigation depends upon preparation. Some of the most important investigation skills include:

• Interviewing: Private investigators must ask a lot of questions. They must talk to the people involved in the case and look further if the answers do not add up.
• Conducting background checks: Private investigators must use available sources of data to conduct thorough background checks on people involved in the case. This may shed light on whether or not the information they provide is reliable.
• Conduct surveillance: Often, when an investigator is hired for a case, someone is already a suspect of some sort of malicious behavior or of hiding behind some kind of lie. Private investigators conduct surveillance to determine the truth about the suspect's activities.
• Prepare reports and provide courtroom testimony: If and when legal action is finally taken by the private investigator's client, he or she may need to give testimony in court. Providing a written report is always necessary to document the investigator's findings.

Many states require licenses for private investigators. These licenses often require job experience, a background check and a two-hour written examination pertaining to private investigation.

Private investigators may become certified by a number of entities. For instance, the National Association of Legal Investigators may certify private investigators after five years of experience and the passing of written and oral examinations. ASIS International also certifies private investigators who have five years' experience, which includes two years of managing investigations, and the passing of an exam.

The work environment of a private investigator varies from case to case, but work hours are generally unpredictable and irregular. These hours will depend upon the demands of the case, and investigators may miss holidays or important family events. There may be surveillance that involves being outdoors in bad weather, or extensive time searching for information from a computer screen. Private investigators are often driven by their own personal curiosity about people and cases, and this keeps them going during the rough spots.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), as of May 2019, the BLS reported that the median annual salary for a private investigator was $50,510. Employment of these investigators is expected to grow much faster than average between the years of 2019 and 2029, at a rate of around eight percent.

While professional education isn't always required to be a private detective, coursework in forensic-related fields can be useful, and some learn investigative skills through law enforcement work. All private investigators must possess a license in most states. Optional certification is also available through several professional entities.