Dentist vs Private Investigator

Side-by-side license comparison

Live DataLast updated: April 13, 2026·Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

Dentist

Easier to Obtain

Private Investigator

Lower Fee

Private Investigator

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Dentist	Private Investigator
Category	Healthcare	Public Safety
Median Salary	$170,910	$59,380
Avg Initial Fee	$498	$253
Difficulty	Very High	Medium
Education	DDS/DMD (4 years post-bachelor)	Varies (often experience-based)
Exam	NBDE Parts I & II + Regional/State	State PI Exam (where required)
Time to License	8 years	1-3 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	40 hrs	12 hrs
States Requiring	53 of 53	33 of 53

Salary Comparison

Dentist

Median Salary$170,910

Avg Salary$170,910

Avg License Fee$498

Private Investigator

Median Salary$59,380

Avg Salary$59,380

Avg License Fee$253

Dentist earns $111,530 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $1,115,300 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

DentistView all 53 state requirements Private InvestigatorView all 53 state requirements

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LicenseWize Editorial TeamData Specialists

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.

✓ Sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards✓ Quarterly review✓ No paid placements

Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Dentist or Private Investigator?

Dentist has a higher median salary at $170,910 per year, compared to $59,380 for Private Investigator — a difference of $111,530 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Dentist or a Private Investigator?

Dentist licensing is rated Very High difficulty, while Private Investigator is rated Medium. Dentist requires DDS/DMD (4 years post-bachelor) and typically takes 8 years, compared to Varies (often experience-based) and 1-3 years for Private Investigator.

Which license costs more: Dentist or Private Investigator?

Dentist has a higher average initial fee of $498, while Private Investigator averages $253 — a difference of $245.

Do all states require a license for Dentist and Private Investigator?

Dentist requires licensing in 53 of 53 jurisdictions, while Private Investigator requires it in 33 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Dentist or Private Investigator?

Dentist typically takes 8 years from start to licensure, while Private Investigator takes 1-3 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Dentist	Private Investigator
Category	Healthcare	Public Safety
Median Salary	$170,910	$59,380
Avg Initial Fee	$498	$253
Difficulty	Very High	Medium
Education	DDS/DMD (4 years post-bachelor)	Varies (often experience-based)
Exam	NBDE Parts I & II + Regional/State	State PI Exam (where required)
Time to License	8 years	1-3 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	40 hrs	12 hrs
States Requiring	53 of 53	33 of 53

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Dentist or Private Investigator?

Dentist has a higher median salary at $170,910 per year, compared to $59,380 for Private Investigator — a difference of $111,530 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Dentist or a Private Investigator?

Which license costs more: Dentist or Private Investigator?

Dentist has a higher average initial fee of $498, while Private Investigator averages $253 — a difference of $245.

Do all states require a license for Dentist and Private Investigator?

Dentist requires licensing in 53 of 53 jurisdictions, while Private Investigator requires it in 33 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Dentist or Private Investigator?

Dentist typically takes 8 years from start to licensure, while Private Investigator takes 1-3 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.