Jobs Similar to Private Detectives and Investigators
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to private detectives and investigators, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Compliance Officers, Compliance Managers and Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators.
Private Detectives and Investigators: $51,220 median pay · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Private Detectives and Investigators) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compliance Officers | 83% | $80,730+58% | Bachelor's degree |
| 2 | Compliance Managers | 81% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 3 | Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | 81% | $78,000+52% | Bachelor's degree |
| 4 | Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts | 80% | $81,100Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 5 | Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 80% | $62,890+23% | Training or associate |
| 6 | Insurance Underwriters | 80% | $81,370+59% | Bachelor's degree |
| 7 | Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | 80% | $117,860+130% | Graduate degree |
| 8 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | 80% | $62,370+22% | Training or associate |
| 9 | Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 79% | $55,570+8% | Training or associate |
| 10 | Customs and Border Protection Officers | 79% | $76,210Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 11 | Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks | 79% | $49,230−4% | High school |
| 12 | Correspondence Clerks | 79% | $46,800−9% | High school |
| 13 | Retail Loss Prevention SpecialistsSame group | 79% | $42,540Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 14 | Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | 79% | $54,210+6% | Training or associate |
| 15 | Intelligence Analysts | 78% | $93,790Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 16 | Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers | 78% | $80,730Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 17 | Management Analysts | 78% | $101,860+99% | Bachelor's degree |
| 18 | Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | 78% | $48,700−5% | High school |
| 19 | Tax Preparers | 78% | $54,920+7% | Training or associate |
| 20 | Loan Officers | 78% | $76,690+50% | Bachelor's degree |
- 1Compliance Officers
83% similar · $80,730 (+58%) · Bachelor's degree
- 2Compliance Managers
81% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 3Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
81% similar · $78,000 (+52%) · Bachelor's degree
- 4Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
80% similar · $81,100 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 5Paralegals and Legal Assistants
80% similar · $62,890 (+23%) · Training or associate
- 6Insurance Underwriters
80% similar · $81,370 (+59%) · Bachelor's degree
- 7Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
80% similar · $117,860 (+130%) · Graduate degree
- 8Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
80% similar · $62,370 (+22%) · Training or associate
- 9Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
79% similar · $55,570 (+8%) · Training or associate
- 10Customs and Border Protection Officers
79% similar · $76,210 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 11Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
79% similar · $49,230 (−4%) · High school
- 12Correspondence Clerks
79% similar · $46,800 (−9%) · High school
- 13Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
79% similar · $42,540 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 14Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
79% similar · $54,210 (+6%) · Training or associate
- 15Intelligence Analysts
78% similar · $93,790 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 16Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
78% similar · $80,730 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 17Management Analysts
78% similar · $101,860 (+99%) · Bachelor's degree
- 18Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
78% similar · $48,700 (−5%) · High school
- 19Tax Preparers
78% similar · $54,920 (+7%) · Training or associate
- 20Loan Officers
78% similar · $76,690 (+50%) · Bachelor's degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than private detectives and investigators.
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants80% similar · $62,890 (+23%)
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents80% similar · $62,370 (+22%)
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants79% similar · $55,570 (+8%)
- Tax Preparers78% similar · $54,920 (+7%)
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs79% similar · $54,210 (+6%)
Similar jobs that need less preparation
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for private detectives and investigators also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where private detectives and investigators is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts (87)
- Customs and Border Protection Officers (86)
- Intelligence Analysts (85)
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (83)
- Police Identification and Records Officers (83)
- Coroners (79)
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs (79)
- Loss Prevention Managers (79)
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants (79)
- Tax Preparers (78)
Questions about jobs like private detectives and investigators
What jobs are most similar to private detectives and investigators?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Compliance Officers (83% similar), Compliance Managers (81% similar), Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators (81% similar), Fraud Examiners (80% similar) and Paralegals and Legal Assistants (80% similar).
Which jobs like private detectives and investigators pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers ($117,860, +130%; usually a graduate degree), Management Analysts ($101,860, +99%; usually a bachelor's degree) and Insurance Underwriters ($81,370, +59%; usually a bachelor's degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with private detectives and investigators ($51,220). Without more preparation than private detectives and investigators usually need: Paralegals and Legal Assistants, Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents and Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.