Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX is $109,300/year ($52.55/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.97), which stretches that salary to about $127,137 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,047/month, or 14.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $109K get you in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Brownsville-Harlingen’s Regional Price Parity (85.97). 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 Brownsville-Harlingen
Brownsville-Harlingen sits well above the national pay line for detectives and criminal investigators, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,047/month, 14.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Brownsville-Harlingen offers a genuinely strong financial position for detectives and criminal investigatorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for detectives and criminal investigators in metros near Brownsville-Harlingen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $86K | $88K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $86K | $84K |
| El Paso | $109K | $122K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $79K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $56K 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 Brownsville-Harlingen?
Yes — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 14.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,047/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Brownsville-Harlingen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,397/month. At HUD’s $1,047/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Brownsville-Harlingen?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $109K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Brownsville-Harlingen compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Brownsville-Harlingen pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $127K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median is $109,300 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,620, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $112,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in Brownsville-Harlingen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,107/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 14.7% 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 Brownsville-Harlingen?
Brownsville-Harlingen has a Regional Price Parity of 85.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median detectives and criminal investigators salary is worth about $127,137 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.