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Salary comparison

Private Detectives and Investigators vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers out-earn Private Detectives and Investigators by $25K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Private Detectives and Investigators land at $51,220 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $76,210. The education gap is real: private detectives and investigator programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Private Detectives and Investigators is Oregon ($76,480); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers it's California ($118,880).

Private Detectives and Investigators
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$51,220
$76,210
Hourly rate
$24.62/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,740
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$97,630
$115,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
35,580
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
6%
3.1%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
Oregon
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Private Detectives and Investigators median pay.

State
Private Detectives and Investigators
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Oregon
$76,480
$88,140
Connecticut
$75,010
$82,170
District of Columbia
$72,720
$88,650
Washington
$64,080
$102,080
California
$61,250
$118,880
Illinois
$60,210
$100,520
New York
$59,140
$92,790
Minnesota
$57,880
$83,360
Delaware
$55,710
$92,970
New Jersey
$54,710
$92,610
Alaska
$53,440
$99,130
Pennsylvania
$51,200
$85,470
Massachusetts
$50,240
$78,940
Colorado
$48,730
$97,350
Hawaii
$45,750
$83,820

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Private Detectives and Investigators or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn more nationally. The median is $51,220 for Private Detectives and Investigators versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, a difference of $25K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Private Detectives and Investigators or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Private Detectives and Investigators has the better 10-year outlook at 6% projected growth, compared to 3.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Private Detectives and Investigators or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Private Detectives and Investigators typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Private Detectives and Investigators get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for Private Detectives and Investigators at $76,480/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Private Detectives and Investigators vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Private Detectives and Investigators earn $76,480 vs. $88,140 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Private Detectives and Investigators salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Private Detectives and Investigators by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by take-home payExplore →How to become a private detectives and investigatorsGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →