Learningshopusa vs Penn Foster: Private Investigator Training

Penn Foster's diploma and a state-required course answer different questions. The diploma teaches the work of an investigator. The state's rule decides whether you may do that work for pay, and each state writes its own. Mixing them up can mean paying for training the state never asked for.

In some states, the rule names a course. Georgia and Minnesota each name a specific training step. Florida sets a rule for who may teach its required training.

Reading the rule first saves money. A broad diploma can teach you the craft and still leave the state's step undone. A state-specific course can finish that step and still leave experience to earn. This page sorts the two by state so you pay for the right one first, with the figures and sources in the state table below.

• In Georgia or Minnesota, where the state names a required training step, we recommend Learningshopusa over the Penn Foster diploma.
• No course, ours or Penn Foster's, replaces California's 6,000 hours of experience or Vermont's two years.
• Penn Foster's program page says state licensing may require more than its curriculum, so match any course to your state's rule before paying.
• We price each course separately, so you buy only the step your state names.

Choose Learningshopusa when your state names a specific course, because you then pay for that step alone. Five reasons:

1. Georgia has a mandated course. Our Georgia 70-hours Course ($290, 70 hours) is approved in Georgia and mandated by the Georgia Board of Private Detectives and Security Agencies as a prerequisite to a PI license. Our guide to the 70 hour private investigator course in Georgia lists what to verify.
2. Minnesota has board-approved starting training. Our Minnesota Pre-Assignment Course ($185, 12 hours) is approved by the Minnesota Private Detective and Protective Agent Services Board for pre-assignment training, and it includes instructor support by phone, email and fax. See how it differs from renewal training in Minnesota PI CE and pre-assignment training.
3. Vermont has board-approved preparation. The license itself is covered in Vermont Private Investigator License: Two Routes, Real Fees.
4. You can fill a single skill gap. Our single-topic courses, including Surveillance, Report Writing, Testifying, Interviewing and Collection and Preservation of Evidence, are $80 each.
5. You can reach a person. Call (832) 922-1215 or (706) 268-2221, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST.

If you have not chosen a state yet, start with our Expert Private Investigation Course ($175) or Private Investigation Practices, Part 1 ($120).

Browse the full Private Investigator course list and match the course to your state.

Each state requires something different, and a course only answers the states that name one. This table is our summary of the rules we checked as of October 2026.

The common mistake is buying a general diploma and assuming it satisfies the state. Penn Foster's own program page says requirements "may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered" in its program. Our guide to private investigator laws explains what a license does and does not cover.

Run five checks and write down a pass or fail for each.

1. Does your state's rule name a course or hours? Pass: you can quote the rule's number of hours. Fail: you are guessing.
2. Does the board approve this exact course? Pass: the board's own approved-provider list, or a confirmation from the board, names the course. Fail: only the provider's page says so.
3. Does the provider follow the rule's wording? Pass: it matches the rule's stated provider type and hours. Fail: it does not.
4. Does the rule also require experience or an exam? Pass: you have a plan for those. Fail: you expect the course to substitute.
5. Do you know the total price? Pass: one number you can compare. Fail: monthly figures with no total.

Our walkthrough, Will This PI Course Count in My State?, applies these checks step by step. Career changers can start with How Do Career Changers Choose Private Investigator Training?.