Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
The median pay for a detectives and criminal investigators in Waterbury-Shelton, CT is $94,470/year ($45.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $90K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.78), that's roughly $94,678 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,788/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $94K get you in Waterbury-Shelton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterbury-Shelton’s Regional Price Parity (99.78). 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 Waterbury-Shelton
Detectives and criminal investigators pay in Waterbury-Shelton tracks closely to the national median, $94K locally vs. $94K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,788/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.78) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for detectives and criminal investigators in metros near Waterbury-Shelton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $99K | $96K |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury | $99K | $92K |
| New Haven | $97K | $93K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $86K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterbury-Shelton, CT
Entry-level detectives and criminal investigators (10th percentile) start around $90K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $6K 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 Waterbury-Shelton numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a detectives and criminal investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterbury-Shelton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,788/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 Waterbury-Shelton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new detectives and criminal investigators typically earn — is $90K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,399/month. At HUD’s $1,788/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 Waterbury-Shelton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $94K locally vs. $94K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Waterbury-Shelton compare to the national average for detectives and criminal investigators?
Waterbury-Shelton pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $95K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Waterbury-Shelton, CT?
The median is $94,470 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $89,980, and experienced detectives and criminal investigators can clear $96,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Waterbury-Shelton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,842/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,788/month, which eats 30.6% 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 Waterbury-Shelton?
Waterbury-Shelton has a Regional Price Parity of 99.78 (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 $94,678 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.