Side-by-side license comparison
| Metric | Attorney / Lawyer | Private Investigator |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Legal | Public Safety |
| Median Salary | $145,760 | $59,380 |
| Avg Initial Fee | $586 | $253 |
| Difficulty | Very High | Medium |
| Education | JD (3 years post-bachelor) | Varies (often experience-based) |
| Exam | Bar Exam (UBE or State) | State PI Exam (where required) |
| Time to License | 7 years | 1-3 years |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 yr | Every 2 yr |
| CE Hours / Cycle | 24 hrs | 12 hrs |
| States Requiring | 53 of 53 | 33 of 53 |
Attorney / Lawyer earns $86,380 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $863,800 in additional earnings.
The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.