The average Private Investigator salary in the USA is $66,625 per year or $34.17 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $41,925 per year, while more experienced workers earn $487,500 per year. Many Private Investigators are self-employed, where an employment agency does not determine rates, nor are they subject to a commission or finder's fee, which gives a percent of the payment to the agency in question. Investigators working under an agency's supervision can likely increase their earnings through seniority or case-load, but so too is the likelihood of running a private operation where the business owner determines rates.