Probably you’re looking into becoming a private eye by now. After all, the career seems promising and very lucrative. If you’re looking for a job where you can have flexible working conditions or something that you can do at home, becoming a private investigator is also an excellent opportunity to explore. But, is there a need for more private eye?

The competition out there is fierce. Many people are now looking into this opportunity as well as into other home-based jobs as something they can fall back to due to corporate downsizing and other economic uncertainties. But according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there is indeed a need for more private investigators. In the department’s website it cites fear of crime, increased litigation and the need to protect confidential information and property of all kinds as reasons for the increased demand for more private detectives and investigators.

We can also add sleuthing on cheating spouses, the need to protect our children from online predation and the need to track down illegal online activities to the reasons cited about. It also states that the employment of private detectives and investigators is expected to grow faster than the average through 2014. Another reason it states is the need to replace those who retire from service each year. In a recent survey it has been shown that there is a need for 50% more PIs today. Now, that’s a whole lot of private investigators needed for many more years!

What about compensation? Does it really pay to become a private investigator? Is it really a lucrative opportunity? Still on the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s website, it conservatively quoted that in 2004 the median annual earnings of salaried private investigators were $32,110. Other independent contractors earn at least $50 an hour. Still, other independent contractors are awarded thousands of dollars by corporations or legal concerns who hire them just for a couple of hours sleuthing online.

Yes, there is still a need for more private investigators and, yes, the opportunity is both exciting and rewarding. Try it out for yourself.

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