Private Investigator vs Security Guard

Side-by-side license comparison

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

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

Private Investigator

Easier to Obtain

Security Guard

Lower Fee

Security Guard

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Private Investigator	Security Guard
Category	Public Safety	Public Safety
Median Salary	$59,380	$36,970
Avg Initial Fee	$253	$74
Difficulty	Medium	Low
Education	Varies (often experience-based)	Guard Training (8-40 hours)
Exam	State PI Exam (where required)	State Guard Card Exam
Time to License	1-3 years	1-2 weeks
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	12 hrs	8 hrs
States Requiring	33 of 53	35 of 53

Salary Comparison

Private Investigator

Median Salary$59,380

Avg Salary$59,380

Avg License Fee$253

Security Guard

Median Salary$36,970

Avg Salary$36,970

Avg License Fee$74

Private Investigator earns $22,410 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $224,100 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

Private InvestigatorView all 53 state requirements Security GuardView 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: Private Investigator or Security Guard?

Private Investigator has a higher median salary at $59,380 per year, compared to $36,970 for Security Guard — a difference of $22,410 annually.

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

Private Investigator licensing is rated Medium difficulty, while Security Guard is rated Low. Private Investigator requires Varies (often experience-based) and typically takes 1-3 years, compared to Guard Training (8-40 hours) and 1-2 weeks for Security Guard.

Which license costs more: Private Investigator or Security Guard?

Private Investigator has a higher average initial fee of $253, while Security Guard averages $74 — a difference of $179.

Do all states require a license for Private Investigator and Security Guard?

Private Investigator requires licensing in 33 of 53 jurisdictions, while Security Guard requires it in 35 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Private Investigator or Security Guard?

Private Investigator typically takes 1-3 years from start to licensure, while Security Guard takes 1-2 weeks. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Private Investigator	Security Guard
Category	Public Safety	Public Safety
Median Salary	$59,380	$36,970
Avg Initial Fee	$253	$74
Difficulty	Medium	Low
Education	Varies (often experience-based)	Guard Training (8-40 hours)
Exam	State PI Exam (where required)	State Guard Card Exam
Time to License	1-3 years	1-2 weeks
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	12 hrs	8 hrs
States Requiring	33 of 53	35 of 53