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If you have a love of solving mysteries, you can get paid to indulge in your passion daily.
Becoming a private investigator is the ultimate career for someone who loves a mystery, cares about justice, and wants to enjoy the freedom of working for either an organization or owning their own business.
Let’s explore this profession further.
How to Become a Private Investigator in Missouri – Step-By-Step
1. Get an Education
While there is no requirement for a degree to become a private investigator in Missouri, having one will help with getting higher pay and finding employment in more prestigious positions.
You will need at least a high school diploma or GED.
There are a few programs specifically directed at becoming a private investigator, but those interested in doing so have options.
Any degree in criminal justice can adequately prepare you to follow this career.
Having at least an Associate’s degree will open many more doors for you than having no degree at all.
2. Get Experience
To be able to apply for your license, you need to have some experience under your belt.
There are a few different ways you can do this.
The most relevant experience is working for a private investigator as an intern.
Other types of experience include a career in law enforcement or a security service.
Military experience can also count if it is in a related field.
3. Get a Surety Bond
You will need to secure liability insurance for $250,000.
4. Apply For A License
Applying for your license through the Missouri Board of Private Investigator and Private Fire Investigator Examiners is your next step.
You will need to fill out an application, provide two forms of ID, and have fingerprints taken.
With two years of experience, you may be excluded from taking the exam, but in most cases, you will have to take it.
A license will cost you $500 for the initial license.
After that, you will need to apply biennially at the cost of $300.
Things that may get your application for a license denied include any felony convictions, crimes of moral turpitude, or misdemeanors involving drugs, violence, or theft.
5. Pass the Exam if Required
The test for private investigators in Missouri is a 75-question one.
Fifty-five of the questions pertain to the rules and regulations for private investigators in Missouri, and twenty pertain to general private investigator protocol.
6. Keep License Renewed
To keep your license active in the state of Missouri, you will need to take 16 hours of continuing education every two years.
The fee for license renewal is $300.
Schools
Program: Private Investigator Career Diploma
Program Details:- Study at your own pace, anytime with 24/7 access
- Flexible, affordable tuition with personalized payment options
- Accredited both regionally and nationally
- Support from experienced instructors every step of the way
1 Southern Missouri Judicial Services
The program at Southern Missouri Judicial Services is an intense course that has you being instructed for 70 class hours over eight days.
The cost of the program is $6000.
A sampling of the subjects that will be covered includes Missouri law, ethics, fingerprints, tire tracks, DNA, interviewing, body language, report writing, evidence collection, and photography.
Other subjects include processing a crime scene, disguise, surveillance, what to do if caught, and testifying in court.
You gain real hands-on experience by testifying at a mock trial with a real judge, jury, attorneys, and witnesses.
You also gain hands-on experience by processing a real crime scene and collecting evidence.
Contact Information
- Address: 1111 N Boonville Ave suite 2, Springfield, MO 65802, United States
- Phone: +1 417-881-2626
- Website: Visit School Website
2 NITA
NITA is set up so that you only take the courses you want or need.
They make great initial courses but also help qualify for the 16 hours of continued education you need for each license renewal period.
Many of the courses have both beginning and intermediate versions.
There are 71 classes to choose from.
The classes run from two hours each to 12 hours and cost anywhere from $49 to $149.
They also have a preparation class for taking the licensing exam.
Classes you may choose include how to use force, process serving, mental health for private investigators, forensics, GPS tracking, skip tracing, analyzing statements, report writing, and interviewing.
You can also take crime scene reconstruction, and different types of death investigations, using photography, handwriting analysis, body language, and social media investigation.
Contact Information
- Address: 250 International Pkwy Suite 134, Lake Mary, FL 32746, United States
- Phone: 1-800-730-6482.
- Website: Visit School Website
3 Novel Data Investigative Learning
Novel Data Investigative Learning offers three courses that help private investigators in Missouri.
The first is a 30-hour self-paced course on the various aspects of being a private investigator, from ethics to what kind of lifestyle you will have.
This includes discussing the investigator’s mindset, facing personal challenges, common terminology, and the NATO alphabet.
This 189-lesson class costs $2500.
The Surveillance course, including cyber investigations, is 545 lessons and also costs $2500.
This class covers all aspects of surveillance, including using both still and video cameras.
The surveillance report writing class has 50 lessons and costs $100.
Contact Information
- Address: Online only
- Phone: +1 800-943-4112
- Website: Visit School Website
Schools Summary Table
| Rank | School | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Southern Missouri Judicial Services |
| #2 | NITA |
| #3 | Novel Data Investigative Learning |
Private Investigator Salary in Missouri
How Much Can a Private Investigator in Missouri Make?
According to the BLS, a private investigator in Missouri makes an average of $43,780 a year.
The lowest-paid investigators can expect to make $37,130 annually, and the higher-paying positions for private investigators can pay as much as $68,330 per year.
The amount of money you make can vary widely, depending on several factors.
First, the amount of training or experience you have makes an impact.
Then you need to take into account the location of employment, as bigger cities are more likely to pay higher wages.
The size of the business you work for will also affect your salary.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$40.2K |
|
$53.2K |
|
$70.4K |
Average Salary in Missouri
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Kansas City | $55,611 |
| St. Louis | $51,367 |
| Springfield | $66,357 |
| Columbia | $52,342 |
| Independence | $51,184 |
| Lee's Summit | $50,557 |
| O'Fallon | $52,769 |
| St. Charles | $51,886 |
| St. Joseph | $51,133 |
| Blue Springs | $49,700 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 150 | $45,480 | $21.86 | $62,540 | $34,470 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 240 | $65,410 | $31.45 | $114,860 | $35,950 |
| Springfield, MO | 60 | $43,560 | $20.94 | $56,970 | $35,400 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Find Private Investigator Career Guides by State
- AL Alabama
- AK Alaska
- AZ Arizona
- AR Arkansas
- CA California
- CO Colorado
- CT Connecticut
- DE Delaware
- FL Florida
- GA Georgia
- HI Hawaii
- ID Idaho
- IL Illinois
- IN Indiana
- IA Iowa
- KS Kansas
- KY Kentucky
- LA Louisiana
- ME Maine
- MD Maryland
- MA Massachusetts
- MI Michigan
- MN Minnesota
- MS Mississippi
- MO Missouri
- MT Montana
- NE Nebraska
- NV Nevada
- NH New Hampshire
- NJ New Jersey
- NM New Mexico
- NY New York
- NC North Carolina
- ND North Dakota
- OH Ohio
- OK Oklahoma
- OR Oregon
- PA Pennsylvania
- RI Rhode Island
- SC South Carolina
- SD South Dakota
- TN Tennessee
- TX Texas
- UT Utah
- VT Vermont
- VA Virginia
- WA Washington
- WV West Virginia
- WI Wisconsin
- WY Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of experience is accepted when applying for a private investigator's license in Missouri?
The licensing body in Missouri will give credit for many types of law enforcement experience, especially in the detective department.
Working for a security service or in another investigative role, such as an insurance fraud investigator, is also a good experience.
Military service that involves security will also be considered.
A degree in a law-related field will also be considered acceptable, as will other training programs regarding investigation or an internship in a private investigator’s office.
What is the private investigator's test in Missouri like?
The Missouri private investigator’s test has 75 questions on it.
The majority are all related to the specific rules and regulations of Missouri private investigators.
The final 20 are generally private investigator questions.
What disqualifies you from becoming a private investigator in Missouri?
Missouri does a complete background check on candidates, and the most likely thing to cause denial of your application is a criminal record that involves felonies or misdemeanors involving violence, theft, or drugs.
Being unable to get a surety bond is another reason.
Moral turpitude or misconduct in a previous position will also eliminate you.
Other things that can cause denial include lying on your application, not having enough experience or training, and a lack of mental competence.
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