What is the Best Degree for a Private Investigator?

Private investigators should always be looking to improve themselves with education to improve their skillset, mindset, and communication.  Private investigation companies and companies looking for investigators consider education and experience when hiring for their companies. So if you are going to pursue higher education, what is the best degree for a private investigator? Let’s get into it.

The best degree for private investigators is in criminal justice, business or accounting.  Criminal justice can provide a view of the criminal justice system as well as laws that will be important to know when working as a private investigator.  A degree in business would be the next step for a private investigator to branch off on their own after securing investigation experience. An accounting degree would be instrumental when working with financial fraud cases. 

While these degrees can provide a foundation for different aspects of being a private investigator, it should be known that a degree generally speaking is not a requirement to become a private investigator in most cases.  Despite that being the case, let’s get into more detail about what foundations the aforementioned degrees can help a private investigator with if you decide to pursue a degree.

What Degrees Would Benefit Private Investigators the Most

Criminal Justice Degrees – A Good Foundation for Learning the Justice System

A criminal justice degree would be ideal for someone who wants to pursue a career in law enforcement, investigations, law or to be involved in the court system especially if you have no experience in these areas at all.  

This degree will educate you in understanding the court system, law enforcement (different laws), sociology, communication, and the correction system. 

Having an understanding of this makes you marketable to not only the private investigation industry but many other industries as well should you make a pivot in your career path.

Other employment routes to explore with this degree could include: 

• Law Enforcement (State Patrol, Sheriff, Animal Control, Corrections Officer, Parole Officer, Wildlife Officer, Police Detective, Police Officer, etc..)
  
• Federal Officer (Border Patrol, FBI Agent, ATF Agent, etc..)
• Discrimination Investigator, Safety Inspector
• Loss Prevention

Many individuals will move from the government sector and move to the private sector. Police officers are known to move into private investigation work. Retired lawyers and even judges have moved into investigation work for various reasons. 

Being a police officer (or any position in law enforcement), lawyer or judge doesn’t make someone more qualified to be a private investigator however it has been the natural progression for those lines of work for a very long time.

A criminal justice degree is not a prerequisite to becoming a private investigator but having a degree, generally speaking, can substitute for experience in many states when pursuing a private investigation business of your own. Be sure to check with your specific state for specific requirements to become a private investigation business owner.

A Business Degree – Good for Preparing Yourself for Starting a Private Investigation Business.

There are several types of business degrees to pursue depending on which college you choose to attend.  Generally speaking, regardless of the focus of the business degree you choose, there will still be some fundamental, core instruction that will be the same across the board.

Some business degree focuses include Business Management, Human Resource Management, Small Business, Entrepreneurship, or Operations Management.

Much like the aforementioned Criminal Justice degree program, a business degree is not a requirement to start your own private investigation business. A business degree will make you aware of and of course educate you in areas of the business including:

• Business law
• Business Accounting
• Business Practices
• Business Communication
• Marketing
• Legal and Ethical Considerations
• Best Management Practices
• Business Considerations 

Depending on the area of focus in your degree, there will be much more to learn and possibly future certifications to expand your knowledge beyond traditional education.

An Accounting Degree – Good Foundation for Catching that Financial Fraud

If you like numbers then an accounting degree may be the avenue you choose though it also might require you to earn your CPA License as well. 

With a focus on accounting, you will open up potential doors to companies that are looking for tax and law liability help as well as internal controls and audits. 

Financial fraud can be a big issue for companies. Companies are always looking for individuals that can help prevent fraud and find it.

Another potential investigation route with an accounting degree is an Anti-Money Laundering Investigator (AML).  The salary for this investigation career route has been known to start at $65,000 to $80,000 a year and can be worked remotely in most cases. 

There are a variety of routes to take with an accounting degree as it relates to investigations and you may need additional certifications in addition to your degree which may include becoming a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

If the career path you are seeking to pursue doesn’t require a degree, will it be worth your time and money to pursue one?

-Andrew Kidd

College Degree or No Degree – Do You Really Need One?

When or if you decide on a college degree, let it be a major that you would enjoy learning about as well as research if that degree is needed to pursue your career goals.  An entry-level position as a private investigator working for an investigation company in many cases will not require a degree.  

There are many investigation firms that are willing to train new investigators and do not require education or previous experience. 

Consider your long-term goals if a private investigator career does not work out as you would hope. Consider backup career choices with a degree in a field you would also be interested in. 

Many people look at earning a degree as insurance of so sort for the workforce however there is no guarantee that you will land the job that you want just because you have a degree on your resume.

Also as you are considering a degree spend special attention to what it will cost to obtain the degree you are pursuing.  A combined Associate degree with a Bachelor’s degree could cost in excess of $40,000 or more which is a great deal of money.

While it is a very personal and big decision as to whether you go to college, consider this for a moment. If the career path you are seeking to pursue doesn’t require a degree, will it be worth your time and money to pursue one?

There is some interesting data to consider from Jaison Abel and Richard Dietz of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.  They shared that a survey from 2010 indicated that 62% of college graduates had a job that actually required a degree.  

Only 27% of college graduates actually worked in a job that matched their college major.

There aren’t a lot of educational differences these days between large universities and smaller colleges.  If you do decide on going to college to pursue a degree, your degree doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Find an affordable Jr. College or university that you don’t have to take out large loans for which will take forever to pay back.