Education · 1 of 5

The path

Most states will not license you until you have worked under someone else's license first.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Write well, notice things, and stay out of trouble. A criminal record can end this before it starts.

2. 2

   Build a background

   0 to 4 years

   Two or four years of criminal justice, or a first career in policing, military intelligence, insurance claims or paralegal work. Roughly 38% of employers ask for a bachelor's degree and 25% accept a high school diploma.

3. 3

   Work under a licensed investigator

   2 to 3 years

   This is the real qualification. Most states require a set number of paid investigative hours before you can apply for your own license. California, for example, asks for several years of it.

4. 4

   License application and exam

   Weeks to months

   Fingerprints, a background check, a written exam on the state's investigative law, and sometimes a bond or insurance.

5. 5

   Your own license, and maybe your own agency

   After licensing

   At that point you can take clients directly, hire subcontractors and set your own rates.