CareerFacts

All careers › Private Detectives and Investigators › Georgia

Private investigator salary in Georgia

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$45,060median pay per year in Georgia, or $21.66 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,570lowest 10% earn less
  2. $38,65025th percentile
  3. $45,060median
  4. $59,95075th percentile
  5. $96,680top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $51,220[3]

The median pay for private investigators in Georgia was $45,060 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $6,160 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in GA
1,460[4]
Rank by median pay
38 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
−12.0%[6]

How much do private investigators make in Georgia?

Half of the private investigators in Georgia earned more than $45,060 a year and half earned less[1]. The hourly median was $21.66[1]. The average was higher, at $54,730 a year[7]. The US median for this job was $51,220, so Georgia sat 12.0% below it[6]. Across all jobs in Georgia the median was $48,170, which is $3,110 above the median for private investigators[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,570 a year[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $96,680[2].

By metro area, Savannah had the highest median at $45,960[10]. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell came in at $45,080, and it had 980 of these jobs[11]. The figures count only people paid a wage or salary. Self-employed investigators are left out, and so are bonuses and the value of benefits like health insurance[12].

Georgia vs US pay

Pay for private investigators in Georgia next to the national figures[1][3].

GAUS
Median per year$45,060[1]$51,220[3]
Median per hour$21.66[1]$24.62[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$36,570[2]$36,740[13]
Top 10% earn more than$96,680[2]$97,630[13]
Jobs1,460[4]35,580[3]

Pay by metro area in Georgia

Metro areas in Georgia with the most jobs for private investigators, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA[11]$45,080980
Savannah, GA$45,96060
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC$41,33050
Columbus, GA-AL$36,75050

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for private investigators in the states that border Georgia, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
North Carolina[14]$52,8901,710
South Carolina$51,530620
Florida$50,6403,660
Tennessee$49,360940
Alabama$46,810530

Median pay for private investigators in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for private investigators are projected to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a private investigator make in Georgia?
The median was $45,060 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $54,730 a year[7].
How much does a private investigator make an hour in Georgia?
The median was $21.66 an hour[1]. The 90th percentile was $46.48 an hour[17].
Which city in Georgia pays private investigators the most?
Savannah had the highest median among the 4 Georgia metro areas with published figures, at $45,960 a year[10]. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell had a median of $45,080[11].
Is Georgia a good state for private investigators?
Georgia had the 38th highest median annual wage for this job out of 48 states and DC[5]. Its median was 12.0% lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a private investigator in Georgia?
This is a US figure, not a Georgia one. Across the US, the typical path needs a high school diploma or equivalent, less than 5 years of related work experience, and moderate-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Georgia was $45,060 per year and $21.66 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Private Detectives and Investigators in Georgia: 10th percentile $36,570, 25th percentile $38,650, 75th percentile $59,950, 90th percentile $96,680. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in the US as a whole was $51,220 per year and $24.62 per hour, with about 35,580 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,460 people worked as Private Detectives and Investigators in Georgia (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Georgia had the 38th highest median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators out of the 48 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Georgia ($45,060) was $6,160 (12.0%) lower than the US median ($51,220). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Georgia was $54,730 per year and $26.31 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Georgia was $48,170. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Georgia was $3,110 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,170). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 4 metro areas in or partly in Georgia with a published median for Private Detectives and Investigators, Savannah, GA had the highest median annual wage, $45,960. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Private Detectives and Investigators in the US: 10th percentile $36,740, 25th percentile $40,700, 75th percentile $73,990, 90th percentile $97,630. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in states that border Georgia (highest first): North Carolina $52,890; South Carolina $51,530; Florida $50,640; Tennessee $49,360; Alabama $46,810. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Private Detectives and Investigators is projected to grow 5.5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Private Detectives and Investigators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Private Detectives and Investigators in Georgia: 10th percentile $17.58, 25th percentile $18.58, 75th percentile $28.82, 90th percentile $46.48. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Georgia. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.