Paycheck Atlas

Private Detectives and Investigators salary in San Jose, CA

The median private detectives and investigators in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA earns $64,060 a year, 25% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $4,097 a month.

10th percentile
$46,000
25th percentile
$50,260
Median percentile
$64,060
75th percentile
$92,610
90th percentile
$130,350

Based on 190 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

$49,168 take-home a year
Gross pay$64,060
Federal income tax−$5,507
Social Security + Medicare−$4,901
California income tax (approx.)−$4,484
Monthly take-home$4,097
Every two weeks$1,891

Does it go far here?

$58,013Median pay in San Jose, CA is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.4 vs 100).
69%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,840 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in San Jose, CA

JobMedian pay
Family Medicine Physicians$351,760
Lawyers$301,320
Computer and Information Systems Managers$291,660
Natural Sciences Managers$263,810
Architectural and Engineering Managers$234,590
Nurse Practitioners$231,560
Marketing Managers$231,370
Training and Development Managers$230,020

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