Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$36,740
- 25th Percentile — Junior$40,700
- 50th Percentile — Median$51,220
- 75th Percentile — Senior$73,990
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$97,630
The top 10% of Private Detectives and Investigators earn $97,630 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $36,740, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88,260 | +46.7% |
| Oregon | $74,690 | +24.2% |
| Washington | $71,020 | +18.1% |
| Massachusetts | $70,110 | +16.6% |
| New Hampshire | $69,350 | +15.3% |
| Maryland (est.) | $69,172 | +15.0% |
| New York | $68,310 | +13.6% |
| California | $67,040 | +11.5% |
| Connecticut | $66,560 | +10.7% |
| Minnesota | $66,510 | +10.6% |
| New Jersey | $66,160 | +10.0% |
| Illinois | $64,440 | +7.1% |
| Tennessee | $63,810 | +6.1% |
| Vermont | $63,670 | +5.9% |
| Arizona | $62,410 | +3.8% |
| Alaska | $62,190 | +3.4% |
| Virginia | $61,940 | +3.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $61,353 | +2.0% |
| North Carolina | $61,350 | +2.0% |
| Rhode Island | $60,960 | +1.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $59,880 | -0.4% |
| Utah | $59,830 | -0.5% |
| Delaware | $59,230 | -1.5% |
| South Carolina | $58,980 | -1.9% |
| Colorado | $58,910 | -2.1% |
| Wyoming | $58,800 | -2.2% |
| Texas | $58,670 | -2.5% |
| Nebraska | $58,140 | -3.3% |
| Arkansas | $57,940 | -3.7% |
| Ohio | $56,980 | -5.3% |
| Florida | $55,820 | -7.2% |
| Hawaii | $54,920 | -8.7% |
| Georgia | $54,730 | -9.0% |
| Idaho | $54,530 | -9.3% |
| Michigan | $53,850 | -10.5% |
| Montana | $52,540 | -12.7% |
| Kentucky | $51,130 | -15.0% |
| Wisconsin | $50,660 | -15.8% |
| Kansas | $50,220 | -16.5% |
| West Virginia | $49,600 | -17.5% |
| New Mexico | $49,550 | -17.6% |
| Indiana | $49,080 | -18.4% |
| Alabama | $48,750 | -19.0% |
| Maine | $48,590 | -19.2% |
| Iowa | $48,190 | -19.9% |
| Missouri | $48,150 | -20.0% |
| North Dakota | $47,230 | -21.5% |
| Oklahoma | $46,450 | -22.8% |
| Mississippi | $46,370 | -22.9% |
| Louisiana | $46,110 | -23.3% |
| South Dakota | $44,210 | -26.5% |
What Factors Affect Private Detectives and Investigators Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Private Detectives and 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 $88,260, while South Dakota pays $44,210 — a gap of $44,050 per year.
The middle half of Private Detectives and Investigators earn between $40,700 and $73,990 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $36,740, while the top 10% earn more than $97,630.
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 +5.8% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Police $112,190/yr United States +86.5% vs this role
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators $99,430/yr United States +65.3% vs this role
- Security Guards $42,470/yr United States 29.4% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting $96,930/yr United States +61.1% vs this role
- Correctional Officers and Jailers $63,630/yr United States +5.8% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +68.6% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +128.3% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Private Detectives and Investigators?
The average salary for Private Detectives and Investigators in the United States is $60,150 per year, with a median of $51,220.
What is the starting salary for Private Detectives and Investigators?
Entry-level Private Detectives and Investigators typically earn between $36,740 and $40,700 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Private Detectives and Investigators the most?
District of Columbia pays Private Detectives and Investigators the most at $88,260 per year on average, followed by Oregon ($74,690) and Washington ($71,020).
How much do Private Detectives and Investigators make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $60,150, Private Detectives and Investigators earn approximately $28.92 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Private Detectives and Investigators a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 35,580 Private Detectives and Investigators jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $60,150 and a median of $51,220 (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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