Skip to content
AffordMap
Public Safety

Private Detectives and Investigators Salary in Greenville, NC

The median pay for a private detectives and investigators in Greenville, NC is $57,590/year ($27.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.4), which stretches that salary to about $65,147 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 28.4% of estimated take-home pay.

$58K
Median annual
$27.69/hr
Hourly rate
$37K
Entry level (10th %)
$61K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $58K get you in Greenville?

Estimated take-home pay$3,810/mo
Rent (2BR median)-$1,095/mo
Rent as % of take-home28.7% ✓ within 30% guideline
Groceries-$347/mo
Utilities-$173/mo
Transportation-$304/mo
Healthcare *-$202/mo
Left over$1,689/mo

Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Greenville’s Regional Price Parity (88.4). 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.

Rentals in Greenville
Filter by your budget
View →

About private detectives and investigators

Education: High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employed: 38,700
Greenville, NC employed: 40
Category: Public Safety

Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more

View jobs for Private Detectives and Investigators
Currently hiring in Greenville, NC
View (opens in new tab)

Compensation breakdown

Annual earnings by percentile, Greenville, NC

Bar chart showing Private Detectives and Investigators salary percentiles in Greenville, NC: 10th percentile $36,950, 25th percentile $39,990, median $57,590, 75th percentile $57,600, 90th percentile $60,840. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$37K25th$40KMedian$58K75th$58K90th$61K
Bar chart showing Private Detectives and Investigators salary percentiles in Greenville, NC: 10th percentile $36,950, 25th percentile $39,990, median $57,590, 75th percentile $57,600, 90th percentile $60,840. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level private detectives and investigators (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.

Share

Private Detectives and Investigators pay across states

Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure

StateMedian salaryvs. nationalEmployment
Oregon$77K+48%480
Maryland$74K+42%560
Illinois$73K+40%1,770
Minnesota$72K+38%940
Connecticut$68K+30%400
Wyoming$67K+29%40
Vermont$66K+26%N/A
Washington$65K+25%840
Arizona$65K+24%980
California$60K+15%5,260
New York$60K+14%1,850
Massachusetts$58K+10%480
North Carolina$55K+5%1,370
Alaska$54K+3%80
South Carolina$54K+3%650
Nebraska$52K-0%130
New Hampshire$52K-1%230
Rhode Island$52K-1%100
New Jersey$52K-2%790
Pennsylvania$51K-2%1,550
Utah$51K-2%360
Ohio$50K-4%1,360
Michigan$50K-5%980
Delaware$49K-6%120
Maine$49K-6%200
Florida$49K-7%3,780
Virginia$49K-7%900
Idaho$48K-8%300
Kentucky$48K-8%490
Texas$48K-8%3,440
Montana$48K-9%60
Nevada$48K-9%420
Alabama$47K-10%580
West Virginia$47K-11%250
Tennessee$47K-11%690
North Dakota$46K-13%60
Indiana$45K-13%560
Iowa$45K-14%140
Kansas$45K-14%270
New Mexico$45K-14%190
Georgia$45K-15%1,340
Hawaii$44K-15%60
Missouri$44K-16%450
Louisiana$43K-17%890
Arkansas$43K-17%360
Wisconsin$43K-17%450
Oklahoma$40K-23%320
Mississippi$39K-25%370
12345

Showing 1–10 of 48 states

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 quarterly. We'll email you when Greenville numbers change.

More openings for Private Detectives and Investigators
Currently hiring in Greenville, NC
View (opens in new tab)
Build skills for your next move
Explore courses and certificates related to your role
View (opens in new tab)
Would this salary go further somewhere else?
Compare your purchasing power across cities
Compare →
How do you get into this field?
Education, licensing, and what the career path looks like
Read guide →

Related careers in Public Safety

Frequently asked questions

How much do private detectives and investigators make in Greenville, NC?

The median is $57,590 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,950, and experienced private detectives and investigators can clear $60,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $58K enough to live in Greenville?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,810/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 28.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.

How far does a private detectives and investigators salary go in Greenville?

Greenville has a Regional Price Parity of 88.4 (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 private detectives and investigators salary is worth about $65,147 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.

All careers in Greenville
Top-paying jobs, rent, and cost of living
Location hub →

People also searched