Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ is $108,350/year ($52.09/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.24), which stretches that salary to about $121,414 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,257/month, or 18% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $108K get you in Sierra Vista-Douglas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sierra Vista-Douglas’s Regional Price Parity (89.24). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Sierra Vista-Douglas
Sierra Vista-Douglas sits well above the national pay line for detectives and criminal investigators, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,257/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.24 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Sierra Vista-Douglas 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 Sierra Vista-Douglas, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tucson | $105K | $109K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $99K | $96K |
| Yuma | $95K | $102K |
| Flagstaff | $78K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $108K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $51K 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 Sierra Vista-Douglas numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a detectives and criminal investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sierra Vista-Douglas?
Yes — at the median salary of $108K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,257/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Sierra Vista-Douglas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,860/month. At HUD’s $1,257/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Sierra Vista-Douglas?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $108K here vs. $94K nationally.
How does Sierra Vista-Douglas compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Sierra Vista-Douglas pays $108K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.24), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ?
The median is $108,350 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,330, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $115,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $108K enough to live in Sierra Vista-Douglas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,825/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,257/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Sierra Vista-Douglas?
Sierra Vista-Douglas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.24 (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 $121,414 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.