Side-by-side license comparison
| Metric | Pest Control Applicator | Private Investigator |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Trades | Public Safety |
| Median Salary | $40,180 | $59,380 |
| Avg Initial Fee | $96 | $253 |
| Difficulty | Low | Medium |
| Education | Training Program (40-100 hours) | Varies (often experience-based) |
| Exam | State Pest Control Exam | State PI Exam (where required) |
| Time to License | 1-3 months | 1-3 years |
| Renewal Period | Every 1 yr | Every 2 yr |
| CE Hours / Cycle | 8 hrs | 12 hrs |
| States Requiring | 53 of 53 | 33 of 53 |
Private Investigator earns $19,200 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $192,000 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.