Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Bakersfield-Delano, CA is $96,760/year ($46.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $155K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $95,906 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,483/month, or 24.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $97K actually covers in Bakersfield-Delano, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bakersfield-Delano’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Bakersfield-Delano
Detectives and criminal investigators pay in Bakersfield-Delano tracks closely to the national median, $97K locally vs. $94K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,483/month, 25% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for detectives and criminal investigators in metros near Bakersfield-Delano, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $128K | $113K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $125K | $112K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $110K | $103K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $127K | $120K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $155K or more, a $70K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a detectives and criminal investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 25% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Bakersfield-Delano?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,129/month. At HUD’s $1,483/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is detectives and criminal investigator a high-paying job in Bakersfield-Delano?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $97K locally vs. $94K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Bakersfield-Delano compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Bakersfield-Delano pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The median is $96,760 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,490, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $155,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Bakersfield-Delano?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,943/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,483/month, which eats 25% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a detectives and criminal investigators salary go in Bakersfield-Delano?
Bakersfield-Delano has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $95,906 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.