Paycheck Atlas

Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in California

The median detectives and criminal investigators in California earns $124,840 a year, 33% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $7,321 a month.

10th percentile
$78,280
25th percentile
$99,270
Median percentile
$124,840
75th percentile
$136,020
90th percentile
$165,510

Based on 12,610 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$87,855 take-home a year
Gross pay$124,840
Federal income tax−$18,696
Social Security + Medicare−$9,550
California income tax (approx.)−$8,739
Monthly take-home$7,321
Every two weeks$3,379

Does it go far here?

$112,753Median pay in California is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.7 vs 100).
28%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,036 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in California

JobMedian pay
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$400,150
Neurologists$357,080
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$353,900
Psychiatrists$353,500
General Internal Medicine Physicians$313,890
Obstetricians and Gynecologists$301,240
Nurse Anesthetists$292,410
Physicians, All Other$281,590

All detectives and criminal investigators salaries · Take-home pay in California