Private Detectives and Investigators Salary
The median pay for a private detectives and investigators in Colorado Springs, CO is $42,140/year ($20.26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.71), that's roughly $41,843 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,474/month, about 50.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $42K actually covers in Colorado Springs, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Colorado Springs’s Regional Price Parity (100.71). 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 private detectives and investigators
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What this looks like in Colorado Springs
Pay for private detectives and investigators in Colorado Springs runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,474/month, which is 52% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for private detectives and investigators.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for private detectives and investigators in metros near Colorado Springs, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $52K | $49K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $64K | $62K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $58K | $57K |
| Oklahoma City | $38K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado Springs, CO
Entry-level private detectives and investigators (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Private Detectives and Investigators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $76K | +49% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $75K | +46% | 400 |
| District of Columbia | $73K | +42% | N/A |
| Vermont | $68K | +33% | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | +28% | 280 |
| Washington | $64K | +25% | 750 |
| California | $61K | +20% | 4,190 |
| Arizona | $61K | +19% | 790 |
| Illinois | $60K | +18% | 1,300 |
| New York | $59K | +15% | 1,300 |
| Utah | $58K | +13% | 350 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +13% | 600 |
| Virginia | $56K | +10% | 1,280 |
| Delaware | $56K | +9% | 110 |
| New Jersey | $55K | +7% | 410 |
| Rhode Island | $55K | +7% | 60 |
| Wyoming | $54K | +6% | 40 |
| Alaska | $53K | +4% | 70 |
| North Carolina | $53K | +3% | 1,710 |
| Texas | $52K | +1% | 3,220 |
| Nebraska | $52K | +1% | 160 |
| South Carolina | $52K | +1% | 620 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -0% | 1,220 |
| Florida | $51K | -1% | 3,660 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | -2% | 280 |
| Tennessee | $49K | -4% | 940 |
| Colorado | $49K | -5% | 540 |
| Michigan | $49K | -5% | 850 |
| Idaho | $48K | -6% | 210 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -7% | 370 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -7% | 350 |
| Montana | $47K | -7% | 70 |
| Ohio | $47K | -8% | 1,560 |
| Alabama | $47K | -9% | 530 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -9% | 170 |
| Hawaii | $46K | -11% | 70 |
| Kansas | $45K | -12% | 280 |
| Georgia | $45K | -12% | 1,460 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -12% | 60 |
| North Dakota | $44K | -13% | 60 |
| Maine | $44K | -14% | 210 |
| Louisiana | $42K | -18% | 860 |
| Wisconsin | $42K | -18% | 410 |
| Indiana | $42K | -18% | 480 |
| Missouri | $42K | -19% | 590 |
| New Mexico | $42K | -19% | N/A |
| Iowa | $41K | -20% | 170 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -23% | 370 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -24% | 330 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track private detectives and investigators salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado Springs numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a private detectives and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado Springs?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 52% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,474/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for private detectives and investigators in Colorado Springs?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new private detectives and investigators typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,702/month. At HUD’s $1,474/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is private detectives and investigator a high-paying job in Colorado Springs?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $42K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Colorado Springs compare to the national average for private detectives and investigators?
Colorado Springs pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do private detectives and investigators make in Colorado Springs, CO?
The median is $42,140 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,000, and experienced private detectives and investigators can clear $68,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Colorado Springs?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,837/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,474/month, which eats 52% 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 private detectives and investigators salary go in Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs has a Regional Price Parity of 100.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median private detectives and investigators salary is worth about $41,843 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do private detectives and 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.