Private Detectives and Investigators salary
The median pay for private detectives and investigators in the United States is $51,220 a year. About 35,580 people hold this job.
- 10th percentile
- $36,740
- 25th percentile
- $40,700
- Median percentile
- $51,220
- 75th percentile
- $73,990
- 90th percentile
- $97,630
Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How to become: education, skills and job outlook
Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities
By state
- Oregon $76,480
- Connecticut $75,010
- Vermont $67,910
- New Hampshire $65,370
- Washington $64,080
- California $61,250
- Arizona $61,030
- Illinois $60,210
- New York $59,140
- Utah $57,910
- Minnesota $57,880
- Virginia $56,160
- Delaware $55,710
- New Jersey $54,710
- Rhode Island $54,620
- Wyoming $54,310
- Alaska $53,440
- North Carolina $52,890
- Texas $51,810
- Nebraska $51,750
- South Carolina $51,530
- Pennsylvania $51,200
- Florida $50,640
- Massachusetts $50,240
- Tennessee $49,360
- Colorado $48,730
- Michigan $48,650
- Idaho $47,910
- Arkansas $47,750
- Kentucky $47,650
- Montana $47,430
- Ohio $47,200
- Alabama $46,810
- West Virginia $46,410
- Hawaii $45,750
- Kansas $45,260
- Georgia $45,060
- South Dakota $44,840
- North Dakota $44,310
- Maine $43,830
- Louisiana $41,950
- Wisconsin $41,850
- Indiana $41,830
- Missouri $41,600
- Iowa $41,110
- Oklahoma $39,680
- Mississippi $39,060
By metro area
- Memphis, TN $99,680
- Salem, OR $81,070
- Portland, OR $78,330
- Hartford, CT $77,540
- Waterbury, CT $76,630
- Seattle, WA $75,670
- Charlotte, NC $73,430
- Manchester, NH $70,780
- Minneapolis, MN $70,220
- Burlington, VT $70,190
- San Francisco, CA $70,150
- Chicago, IL $68,310
- New Haven, CT $65,030
- Phoenix, AZ $64,400
- Bridgeport, CT $64,080
- San Jose, CA $64,060
- Eugene, OR $63,940
- Fort Collins, CO $62,520
- Washington, DC $62,300
- Los Angeles, CA $61,680
- Dallas, TX $61,460
- Spokane, WA $61,460
- Boston, MA $60,910
- Corpus Christi, TX $60,090
- Harrisburg, PA $59,770
- Riverside, CA $59,490
- Deltona, FL $59,350
- New York, NY $59,140
- Modesto, CA $58,460
- Oxnard, CA $58,170
- Salt Lake City, UT $57,910
- Beaumont, TX $57,620
- San Antonio, TX $56,760
- Olympia, WA $56,530
- Tallahassee, FL $56,510
- Crestview, FL $56,370
- Ogden, UT $55,450
- Provo, UT $55,420
- Miami, FL $54,720
- Kiryas Joel, NY $53,930
- Asheville, NC $53,900
- Lincoln, NE $53,800
- Philadelphia, PA $53,680
- Durham, NC $53,610
- Richmond, VA $52,430
- Denver, CO $52,000
- North Port, FL $51,950
- Columbus, OH $51,780
- Gainesville, FL $51,580
- Tampa, FL $51,390
- Sacramento, CA $51,130
- Greenville, NC $51,010
- Syracuse, NY $50,730
- Allentown, PA $50,710
- Buffalo, NY $50,540
- Rochester, NY $50,510
- Stockton, CA $50,220
- Reading, PA $50,200
- Cape Coral, FL $49,870
- Pittsburgh, PA $49,810
- Myrtle Beach, SC $49,740
- Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $49,420
- Birmingham, AL $49,390
- San Diego, CA $48,650
- Panama City, FL $48,630
- Vallejo, CA $48,600
- Dayton, OH $48,510
- Port St. Lucie, FL $48,430
- Evansville, IN $48,280
- Jacksonville, FL $48,060
- Columbia, SC $48,000
- Visalia, CA $47,970
- Little Rock, AR $47,960
- Mobile, AL $47,770
- Boise City, ID $47,690
- Detroit, MI $47,690
- Orlando, FL $47,360
- Montgomery, AL $47,100
- Portland, ME $46,610
- Providence, RI $46,560
- Ocala, FL $46,470
- Tyler, TX $46,390
- Fort Smith, AR $46,380
- Cincinnati, OH $46,190
- Houston, TX $46,110
- Virginia Beach, VA $45,990
- Savannah, GA $45,960
- Urban Honolulu, HI $45,750
- Cleveland, OH $45,660
- Pensacola, FL $45,440
- Raleigh, NC $45,390
- Atlanta, GA $45,080
- Nashville, TN $44,890
- Hickory, NC $44,820
- Baton Rouge, LA $44,810
- Kansas City, MO $44,640
- Indianapolis, IN $44,550
- Slidell, LA $44,390
- Tulsa, OK $44,340
- Omaha, NE $44,100
- Huntsville, AL $43,950
- Albany, NY $43,890
- Youngstown, OH $43,740
- Fresno, CA $43,590
- New Orleans, LA $43,500
- Scranton, PA $43,420
- Bakersfield, CA $43,230
- Knoxville, TN $43,150
- St. Louis, MO $42,930
- Worcester, MA $42,720
- Winston, NC $42,660
- Madison, WI $42,320
- Colorado Springs, CO $42,140
- Grand Rapids, MI $42,140
- Lexington, KY $41,930
- Milwaukee, WI $41,850
- Gulfport, MS $41,690
- Greensboro, NC $41,630
- Tucson, AZ $41,450
- Akron, OH $41,420