Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD is $128,440/year ($61.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $190K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $122,921 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,857/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $128K actually covers in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson sits well above the national pay line for detectives and criminal investigators, local pay runs about 37% higher than the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,857/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson offers a genuinely strong financial position for detectives and criminal investigators at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for detectives and criminal investigators in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $99K | $105K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $157K | $144K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $98K | $95K |
| Pittsburgh | $95K | $100K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $128K. Top earners bring in $190K or more, a $113K 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Yes — at the median salary of $128K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,931/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Local pay is 37% above the national median — $128K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $128K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $128,440 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,160, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $189,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $128K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,712/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 24.1% 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (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 $122,921 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.