Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Grand Junction, CO is $106,270/year ($51.09/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.48), that's roughly $111,301 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,282/month, or 18.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $106K actually covers in Grand Junction, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Junction’s Regional Price Parity (95.48). 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 Grand Junction
Grand Junction sits well above the national pay line for detectives and criminal investigators, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,282/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.48) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Grand Junction 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 Grand Junction, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $113K | $107K |
| Colorado Springs | $86K | $85K |
| Tucson | $105K | $109K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $99K | $96K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Junction, CO
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $81K 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
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a detectives and criminal investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Junction?
Yes — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,282/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Grand Junction?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,444/month. At HUD’s $1,282/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 Grand Junction?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $106K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Grand Junction compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Grand Junction pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Grand Junction, CO?
The median is $106,270 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,140, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $149,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Grand Junction?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,539/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,282/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Grand Junction?
Grand Junction has a Regional Price Parity of 95.48 (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 $111,301 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.