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Salary comparison

Private Detectives and Investigators vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Private Detectives and Investigators out-earn Security Guards by $13K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Private Detectives and Investigators land at $51,220 and Security Guards at $38,020. The education gap is real: private detectives and investigator programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Private Detectives and Investigators is Oregon ($76,480); for Security Guards it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

Private Detectives and Investigators
Security Guards
Median salary
$51,220
$38,020
Hourly rate
$24.62/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,740
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$97,630
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
35,580
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
6%
0.4%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
Oregon
District of Columbia

Pay by state

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

State
Private Detectives and Investigators
Security Guards
Oregon
$76,480
$45,500
District of Columbia
$72,720
$64,210
Vermont
$67,910
$45,550
New Hampshire
$65,370
$45,200
Washington
$64,080
$47,100
California
$61,250
$43,240
New York
$59,140
$44,240
Utah
$57,910
$42,700
Minnesota
$57,880
$43,380
Virginia
$56,160
$43,640
Alaska
$53,440
$47,480
Massachusetts
$50,240
$44,670
Colorado
$48,730
$45,150
Hawaii
$45,750
$42,820
New Mexico
$41,600
$43,320

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Private Detectives and Investigators or Security Guards?

Private Detectives and Investigators earn more nationally. The median is $51,220 for Private Detectives and Investigators versus $38,020 for Security Guards, a difference of $13K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Private Detectives and Investigators or Security Guards?

Private Detectives and Investigators has the better 10-year outlook at 6% projected growth, compared to 0.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Private Detectives and Investigators or Security Guards?

Private Detectives and Investigators typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Security Guards 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. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Private Detectives and Investigators earn $76,480 vs. $45,500 for Security Guards. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Private Detectives and Investigators salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for Private Detectives and Investigators by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guards by take-home payExplore →How to become a private detectives and investigatorsGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →