A career in private investigations doesn’t disappoint if you’re looking for the opportunity to be your own boss and use your hard-won investigative chops to make a decent living. But it’s also a job that comes with a strong sense of purpose, particularly when doing work like tracking down evidence that is powerful enough to overturn a conviction, leading to the vindication and exoneration of a person wrongfully accused!
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Take Ron Grosse, for example. He’s a staff investigator with the Georgia Innocence Project (GIP), an independent nonprofit that seeks to prevent and reverse wrongful convictions in the state. Grosse works alongside staff and pro bono lawyers to review and evaluate innocence claims.
Some of his responsibilities include locating and interviewing witnesses, identifying and collecting new evidence, and assisting in case strategy. GIP has enjoyed an excellent track record of success, which includes the exoneration of eight men who were wrongfully imprisoned.
Like many other Georgia PIs, Grosse had a career with the federal government—the FBI and the U.S. Army—before becoming a private investigator. Private investigation is a popular line of work among former soldiers, police officers, COs, and court officers. But it’s also pretty common to find PIs with former lives in private security or even the work-a-day world.
In July 2021, Georgia’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.7 percent over the month. The rate was 7.6 percent in July a year ago. There is about 1% of the 11,874 total estimated annual openings in Protective Service occupations.
The employment of private detectives and investigators is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. However, because it is a small occupation, the fast growth will result in only about 3,000 new jobs over the 10-year period. With that kind of demand, it’s a safe bet that competition won’t be too stiff when it comes time to get your PI career off the ground.
The Georgia Board of Private Detectives and Security Agencies regulate the practices of private investigations here. PIs in Georgia don’t need a license, but you will need to secure a license if you want to start your own PI agency.
Step 1. Choosing your Route of Employment
There are two ways of working as a private investigator in Georgia: working for yourself or working for someone else. Working for yourself is more complicated and requires a license and years of previous experience either in law enforcement or private investigations, or a university degree, plus bigger financial burdens including:
- $125 exam fee
- $400 application fee
- Having one of the following:
- $25,000 bond
- $1 million liability insurance policy
- The net worth of $50,000 or more
It is easier to start in the private investigations field by registering to work under an already established company. To do this you simply need to meet the minimum requirements and your employer will register you with the Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies.
Step 2. Meeting the Basic Requirements
All private detectives working in Georgia need to be registered as an employee of a private detective business, be it as a sole proprietor, as the manager of your own company, or with another agency. It is therefore your employer (or yourself if you are the owner of the business) who registers you with the Secretary of State’s Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies.
To become registered you will need to meet some basic private investigator minimum requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have integrity and a good moral character
- Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident entitled to work in the U.S.
- No convictions for felonies, crimes involving weapons, or crimes of moral turpitude; however, considerations will be made on a case-by-case basis
- Have not committed any acts of fraud or dishonesty
Step 3. Education Qualifications
Private Investigator School Requirements in Georgia
If you are applying for a license for your own private investigations business you will need to meet some additional requirements that can be fulfilled by having a four-year degree in Criminal Justice or a related field.
The following certificate and degree programs are available across Georgia both online and at campus-based schools:
- Law Enforcement
- Criminal Justice
- Forensics
- Psychology
- Business
Establishing a Foundation for the Future
Even if you are just starting as a private investigator registered with another company you will have more options and a better foundation when coming from a well-developed educational background. Demonstrating that you have acquired key skills in the field can also help your employment prospects, not to mention future career advancements into areas such as law enforcement.
Step 4. Basic Training
To work as a private detective in Georgia you will need to complete a basic training course. You have the option of completing this within six months of being hired, and the course must be from a state-approved provider and include:
- 70 hours of classroom instruction including:
- Industry history
- Criminal law
- Search and seizure
- Crime scene investigation
- Witness and suspect interviewing
- Surveillance
If you choose to carry a firearm you will additionally have to take the Firearm Training Curriculum for Handguns course. You should also make sure you are familiar with the state laws and statutes regarding private investigator individuals and companies.
Step 5. Application for Employment
You will need to submit the following to your employing private detective agency so they can complete your registration form and you can begin working:
- Fingerprints and consent for a background investigation. These are administered through Cogent Services GAPS and when completing your online application for $52.75 you will need the following:
- ORI Number: GA920240Z
- Verification code: 920240Z
- Proof of your private detective certification classes, if completed (must be completed within 90 days of hire)
- Any weapons permits and certifications
Your hiring detective company must also pay a $45 registration fee, and an extra $25 fee if you are being registered as an armed detective.
Step 6. Working in Georgia
Private investigators need to complete 16 hours of continuing education through an approved agency each year. The agency with which you are registered can assist you with this and you can also consult with professional associations.
Joining a professional organization such as the Georgia Association of Professional Private Investigators (GAPPI) or the Investigative and Security Professional Association of Georgia (ISPAG) is a good way to find support and advice from colleagues, expand your networking opportunities, and stay up-to-date on the latest developments in your field. Professional organizations can also offer you tips on the process of how to become a private detective in Georgia.
Now that you know about how to become a private investigator in Georgia, it is time you look into the salary statistics to make your mind and take an informed decision:
Private Investigator Salary Information for Georgia*
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for private investigators in Georgia was $63,030 as of May 2023. Once you’ve built a nice client list and earned a few years of experience, you can expect to earn near the top 10% in this field, where the salary starts at $107,530.
Employees of detective agencies (referred to as agents) do not need to be licensed in Georgia. Company owners, on the other hand, are required to obtain a license from the Georgia Board of Private Detectives and Security Agencies. To qualify for a private detective company license, you’ll need at least one of the following: at least two years of experience as an agent with a licensed PI agency; at least two years of experience in law enforcement; or a four-year degree in criminal justice or a related field.
Private Investigator Salaries in Atlanta, Augusta, and Savannah
Private investigators in the Atlanta metro area generally earn more than their colleagues in Augusta and Savannah. This isn’t surprising given the city’s status as the state’s economic center.
The following BLS stats reveal the median to top 10% salary range for PIs working in Georgia’s major metro areas:
- Atlanta: $57,160 – $142,310 (approximately 510 licensed PIs)
- Augusta: $44,100 – $62,380 (approximately 30 licensed PIs)
- Savannah: $50,850 – $103,860 (approximately 30 licensed PIs)
May 2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics Salary and Job Market Figures for Private Detectives and Investigators reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2024.