Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$55,390
- 25th Percentile — Junior$69,330
- 50th Percentile — Median$93,790
- 75th Percentile — Senior$120,520
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$160,540
The top 10% of Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn $160,540 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $55,390, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $148,110 | +49.0% |
| Maryland | $130,040 | +30.8% |
| Alaska | $125,160 | +25.9% |
| Hawaii | $124,610 | +25.3% |
| California | $121,530 | +22.2% |
| Virginia | $119,620 | +20.3% |
| Massachusetts | $118,130 | +18.8% |
| Washington | $118,040 | +18.7% |
| Delaware | $117,730 | +18.4% |
| New Jersey | $116,540 | +17.2% |
| Oregon | $113,430 | +14.1% |
| Colorado | $109,010 | +9.6% |
| New York | $105,880 | +6.5% |
| New Hampshire | $104,670 | +5.3% |
| Vermont | $104,220 | +4.8% |
| Nebraska | $103,850 | +4.4% |
| Michigan | $103,190 | +3.8% |
| West Virginia | $102,070 | +2.7% |
| Nevada | $101,950 | +2.5% |
| Connecticut | $101,890 | +2.5% |
| Pennsylvania | $101,760 | +2.3% |
| Arizona | $100,000 | +0.6% |
| Rhode Island | $98,430 | -1.0% |
| Illinois | $97,480 | -2.0% |
| Montana | $93,800 | -5.7% |
| Florida | $93,020 | -6.4% |
| Maine | $92,920 | -6.5% |
| Texas | $92,030 | -7.4% |
| Wyoming | $91,890 | -7.6% |
| South Dakota | $91,060 | -8.4% |
| Wisconsin | $90,620 | -8.9% |
| Ohio | $90,600 | -8.9% |
| Utah | $89,940 | -9.5% |
| North Dakota | $88,310 | -11.2% |
| Minnesota | $87,860 | -11.6% |
| Tennessee | $87,790 | -11.7% |
| Iowa | $87,110 | -12.4% |
| Kentucky | $86,900 | -12.6% |
| Oklahoma | $86,620 | -12.9% |
| Missouri | $85,720 | -13.8% |
| New Mexico | $84,880 | -14.6% |
| Idaho | $81,570 | -18.0% |
| Alabama | $79,070 | -20.5% |
| Kansas | $78,750 | -20.8% |
| Georgia | $78,140 | -21.4% |
| Indiana | $77,610 | -21.9% |
| South Carolina | $77,020 | -22.5% |
| North Carolina | $76,020 | -23.5% |
| Louisiana | $71,160 | -28.4% |
| Mississippi | $71,020 | -28.6% |
| Arkansas | $68,840 | -30.8% |
What Factors Affect Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Detectives and Criminal Investigators is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $148,110, while Arkansas pays $68,840 — a gap of $79,270 per year.
The middle half of Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn between $69,330 and $120,520 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $55,390, while the top 10% earn more than $160,540.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Firefighters $63,630/yr United States 36.0% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Police $112,190/yr United States +12.8% vs this role
- Security Guards $42,470/yr United States 57.3% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting $96,930/yr United States 2.5% vs this role
- Correctional Officers and Jailers $63,630/yr United States 36.0% vs this role
- Private Detectives and Investigators $60,150/yr United States 39.5% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +2.0% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +38.1% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Detectives and Criminal Investigators?
The average salary for Detectives and Criminal Investigators in the United States is $99,430 per year, with a median of $93,790.
What is the starting salary for Detectives and Criminal Investigators?
Entry-level Detectives and Criminal Investigators typically earn between $55,390 and $69,330 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Detectives and Criminal Investigators the most?
District of Columbia pays Detectives and Criminal Investigators the most at $148,110 per year on average, followed by Maryland ($130,040) and Alaska ($125,160).
How much do Detectives and Criminal Investigators make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $99,430, Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn approximately $47.8 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Detectives and Criminal Investigators a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 114,430 Detectives and Criminal Investigators jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $99,430 and a median of $93,790 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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