Private Detectives and Investigators
Protective Service · SOC 33-9021
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 33-9021 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 62/100
- High friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $51,220
- H-1B offered wage $90,000; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 3,300
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +6.0%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 2
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 5,631 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~38.9% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.
Common titles: Asset Protection Detective, Field Investigator, Investigator, Loss Prevention Agent, Loss Prevention Associate, Loss Prevention Detective
Representative Tasks
- •Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.
- •Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.
- •Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.
- •Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.
- •Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Prepare investigation or incident reports.
- •Investigate personal characteristics or activities of individuals.
- •Examine records or other types of data to investigate criminal activities.
- •Use databases to locate investigation details or other information.
- •Investigate crimes committed within organizations.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 2.6% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 19% Bright |
| Median Salary | $51,220 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |