Private Detective and Investigator Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$51,220
$24.62/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,740 | $17.66 |
| 25th percentile | $40,700 | $19.57 |
| Median | $51,220 | $24.62 |
| 75th percentile | $73,990 | $35.57 |
| 90th percentile | $97,630 | $46.94 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 35,580
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | ||
| 1st | $76,480 | $73,993 1st |
| Connecticut | ||
| 2nd | $75,010 | $72,396 2nd |
| District of Columbia | ||
| 3rd | $72,720 | $66,169 4th |
| Vermont | ||
| 4th | $67,910 | $69,326 3rd |
| New Hampshire | ||
| 5th | $65,370 | $62,756 5th |
| Washington | ||
| 6th | $64,080 | $59,881 8th |
| California | ||
| 7th | $61,250 | $55,320 16th |
| Arizona | ||
| 8th | $61,030 | $60,620 6th |
| Illinois | ||
| 9th | $60,210 | $60,235 7th |
| New York | ||
| 10th | $59,140 | $54,799 19th |
| Utah | ||
| 11th | $57,910 | $58,575 11th |
| Minnesota | ||
| 12th | $57,880 | $58,689 9th |
| Virginia | ||
| 13th | $56,160 | $55,547 15th |
| Delaware | ||
| 14th | $55,710 | $55,817 14th |
| New Jersey | ||
| 15th | $54,710 | $50,283 31st |
| Rhode Island | ||
| 16th | $54,620 | $53,402 21st |
| Wyoming | ||
| 17th | $54,310 | $58,593 10th |
| Alaska | ||
| 18th | $53,440 | $52,208 26th |
| North Carolina | ||
| 19th | $52,890 | $56,071 13th |
| Texas | ||
| 20th | $51,810 | $53,381 22nd |
| Nebraska | ||
| 21st | $51,750 | $57,434 12th |
| South Carolina | ||
| 22nd | $51,530 | $54,966 17th |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 23rd | $51,200 | $52,474 25th |
| Florida | ||
| 24th | $50,640 | $48,968 36th |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 25th | $50,240 | $47,505 38th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 26th | $49,360 | $53,728 20th |
| Colorado | ||
| 27th | $48,730 | $47,287 39th |
| Michigan | ||
| 28th | $48,650 | $50,563 30th |
| Idaho | ||
| 29th | $47,910 | $50,171 33rd |
| Arkansas | ||
| 30th | $47,750 | $54,925 18th |
| Kentucky | ||
| 31st | $47,650 | $52,851 23rd |
| Montana | ||
| 32nd | $47,430 | $50,114 34th |
| Ohio | ||
| 33rd | $47,200 | $50,876 28th |
| Alabama | ||
| 34th | $46,810 | $52,700 24th |
| West Virginia | ||
| 35th | $46,410 | $51,856 27th |
| Hawaii | ||
| 36th | $45,750 | $41,609 49th |
| Kansas | ||
| 37th | $45,260 | $50,251 32nd |
| Georgia | ||
| 38th | $45,060 | $46,795 41st |
| South Dakota | ||
| 39th | $44,840 | $50,617 29th |
| North Dakota | ||
| 40th | $44,310 | $49,809 35th |
| Maine | ||
| 41st | $43,830 | $45,162 44th |
| Louisiana | ||
| 42nd | $41,950 | $47,559 37th |
| Wisconsin | ||
| 43rd | $41,850 | $44,476 48th |
| Indiana | ||
| 44th | $41,830 | $44,820 47th |
| Missouri | ||
| 45th | $41,600 | $45,806 42nd |
| New Mexico | ||
| 45th | $41,600 | $45,113 45th |
| Iowa | ||
| 47th | $41,110 | $46,843 40th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 48th | $39,680 | $45,171 43rd |
| Mississippi | ||
| 49th | $39,060 | $44,921 46th |
Places with the same median share a rank and are listed alphabetically.
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Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Detective and Criminal Investigator salary in the U.S.
$93,790/year U.S.
- Financial Specialists, All Other salary in the U.S.
$81,100/year U.S.
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer salary in the U.S.
$76,210/year U.S.
- Compliance Officer salary in the U.S.
$80,730/year U.S.
- Forensic Science Technician salary in the U.S.
$72,060/year U.S.
- Paralegal and Legal Assistant salary in the U.S.
$62,890/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +5.5%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- High school diploma or equivalent
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Last updated