Private Detectives and Investigators Salary
The median pay for a private detectives and investigators in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $52,000/year ($25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $52K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
About private detectives and investigators
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for private detectives and investigators in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $64K | $62K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $58K | $57K |
| Oklahoma City | $38K | $42K |
| Tulsa | $44K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level private detectives and investigators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $49K 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 38.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,337/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new private detectives and investigators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,922/month.
Is private detectives and investigator a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $52K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for private detectives and investigators?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +2%.
How much do private detectives and investigators make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $52,000 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,490, and experienced private detectives and investigators can clear $92,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,461/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,337/month, which eats 38.6% 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 private detectives and investigators salary go in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median private detectives and investigators salary is worth about $52,000 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.