Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA is $69,900/year ($33.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $69,858 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,820/month, about 39.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $70K get you in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About detectives and criminal investigators
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Pay for detectives and criminal investigators in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $94K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,820/month, which is 40.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for detectives and criminal investigatorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for detectives and criminal investigators in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $158K | $180K |
| Macon-Bibb County | $69K | $77K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $65K | $71K |
| Savannah | $72K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $161K | +71% | 2,980 |
| Maryland | $127K | +35% | 1,010 |
| California | $125K | +33% | 12,610 |
| Delaware | $122K | +30% | 140 |
| New Jersey | $116K | +24% | 3,080 |
| Washington | $116K | +23% | 1,850 |
| Alaska | $115K | +23% | 140 |
| Hawaii | $114K | +21% | 440 |
| Virginia | $113K | +20% | 3,180 |
| Massachusetts | $110K | +17% | 1,300 |
| Oregon | $107K | +15% | 520 |
| Vermont | $106K | +13% | 190 |
| Colorado | $105K | +12% | 1,930 |
| Arizona | $102K | +9% | 5,250 |
| New York | $101K | +8% | 9,600 |
| Nebraska | $101K | +7% | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | +4% | 3,370 |
| Connecticut | $95K | +2% | 940 |
| Nevada | $94K | +1% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $92K | -1% | 220 |
| Montana | $92K | -1% | 500 |
| Illinois | $91K | -3% | 3,270 |
| Wisconsin | $91K | -3% | 1,640 |
| Michigan | $91K | -3% | 2,220 |
| Texas | $91K | -3% | 18,870 |
| New Hampshire | $89K | -5% | 290 |
| Rhode Island | $88K | -6% | 360 |
| Maine | $88K | -6% | 550 |
| New Mexico | $87K | -7% | 2,020 |
| North Dakota | $82K | -12% | 420 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -13% | 170 |
| Oklahoma | $80K | -14% | 1,220 |
| Minnesota | $80K | -15% | 1,970 |
| Iowa | $80K | -15% | 410 |
| Ohio | $79K | -15% | 2,140 |
| Utah | $79K | -16% | 550 |
| South Dakota | $78K | -17% | 250 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -18% | 1,860 |
| Florida | $77K | -18% | 6,440 |
| Kansas | $76K | -19% | 1,060 |
| Missouri | $76K | -19% | 1,600 |
| Idaho | $73K | -23% | 630 |
| Kentucky | $72K | -24% | 720 |
| Indiana | $70K | -25% | 1,280 |
| Alabama | $66K | -29% | 1,340 |
| Georgia | $65K | -30% | 5,070 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -33% | 3,360 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -33% | 1,470 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -36% | 1,740 |
| Mississippi | $59K | -37% | 810 |
| Arkansas | $55K | -42% | 560 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track detectives and criminal investigators salary changes
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Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a detectives and criminal investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 40.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,746/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is detectives and criminal investigator a high-paying job in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $70K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $69,900 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,770, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $139,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,514/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 40.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a detectives and criminal investigators salary go in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median detectives and criminal investigators salary is worth about $69,858 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do detectives and criminal investigators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.