Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in New Orleans-Metairie, LA is $62,430/year ($30.02/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $67,419 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 32.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in New Orleans-Metairie?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New Orleans-Metairie’s Regional Price Parity (92.6). 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 New Orleans-Metairie
Pay for detectives and criminal investigators in New Orleans-Metairie runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $94K. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for detectives and criminal investigators in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $64K | $70K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $48K | $57K |
| Monroe | $65K | $78K |
| Lafayette | $61K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $123K 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 New Orleans-Metairie numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a detectives and criminal investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,341/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $62K here vs. $94K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $62,430 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,020, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $162,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,177/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 31.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a detectives and criminal investigators salary go in New Orleans-Metairie?
New Orleans-Metairie has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $67,419 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.