Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Great Falls, MT is $136,120/year ($65.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $167K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.84), that's roughly $140,562 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 15.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $136K get you in Great Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Great Falls’s Regional Price Parity (96.84). 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 Great Falls
Great Falls sits well above the national pay line for detectives and criminal investigators, local pay runs about 45% higher than the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 15.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.84) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Great Falls 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 Great Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $73K | $78K |
| Helena | $74K | $77K |
| Missoula | $100K | $103K |
| Boise City | $83K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Great Falls, MT
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $167K or more, a $100K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Great Falls numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a detectives and criminal investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Great Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 15.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Great Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,032/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Great Falls?
Local pay is 45% above the national median — $136K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Great Falls compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Great Falls pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +45%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $141K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Great Falls, MT?
The median is $136,120 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,200, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $167,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Great Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,072/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 15.9% 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 Great Falls?
Great Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 96.84 (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 $140,562 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.