Private Detectives and Investigators Salary by State and Metro Area
Private Detectives and Investigators in the United States earn a median salary of $51,220/year ($24.62/hr). Salaries range from $36,740 to $97,630 depending on experience. Below, compare salaries across 49 states and 30 metro areas where BLS publishes data.
$37K
10th percentile
$41K
25th percentile
$51K
Median
$74K
75th percentile
$98K
90th percentile
Where Private Detectives and Investigators have the most money left over after rent
Median pay minus estimated federal + state + FICA taxes, minus 12 months of rent at HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. Darker green means more money left over each year. Hover any state for the breakdown.
View map data as a table
| State | Median (nominal) | Rent/mo (2BR) | Left after rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $76K | $1,555 | $37K |
| Connecticut | $75K | $1,679 | $37K |
| New Hampshire | $65K | $1,528 | $36K |
| Vermont | $68K | $1,498 | $36K |
| Wyoming | $54K | $1,008 | $34K |
| Washington | $64K | $1,830 | $32K |
| Arizona | $61K | $1,437 | $32K |
| Illinois | $60K | $1,407 | $31K |
| District of Columbia | $73K | $2,146 | $30K |
| Utah | $58K | $1,350 | $30K |
| Minnesota | $58K | $1,384 | $29K |
| Nebraska | $52K | $1,113 | $28K |
| Delaware | $56K | $1,448 | $27K |
| North Carolina | $53K | $1,284 | $27K |
| South Carolina | $52K | $1,263 | $27K |
| Tennessee | $49K | $1,215 | $27K |
| Texas | $52K | $1,415 | $27K |
| Rhode Island | $55K | $1,544 | $26K |
| South Dakota | $45K | $1,017 | $26K |
| West Virginia | $46K | $1,008 | $26K |
| Arkansas | $48K | $1,021 | $26K |
| Idaho | $48K | $1,136 | $25K |
| Kentucky | $48K | $1,110 | $25K |
| Montana | $47K | $1,129 | $25K |
| Ohio | $47K | $1,188 | $25K |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | $1,351 | $25K |
| Virginia | $56K | $1,646 | $25K |
| Alaska | $53K | $1,643 | $25K |
| Kansas | $45K | $1,066 | $24K |
| Michigan | $49K | $1,272 | $24K |
| New York | $59K | $1,917 | $24K |
| North Dakota | $44K | $1,034 | $24K |
| Alabama | $47K | $1,085 | $24K |
| Florida | $51K | $1,658 | $23K |
| Indiana | $42K | $1,144 | $21K |
| Missouri | $42K | $1,097 | $21K |
| New Mexico | $42K | $1,119 | $21K |
| Iowa | $41K | $1,064 | $20K |
| Louisiana | $42K | $1,191 | $20K |
| Maine | $44K | $1,281 | $20K |
| New Jersey | $55K | $2,067 | $20K |
| Oklahoma | $40K | $1,081 | $20K |
| Wisconsin | $42K | $1,202 | $20K |
| California | $61K | $2,471 | $20K |
| Georgia | $45K | $1,434 | $19K |
| Mississippi | $39K | $1,077 | $19K |
| Colorado | $49K | $1,832 | $17K |
| Massachusetts | $50K | $2,347 | $12K |
| Hawaii | $46K | $2,240 | $9K |
Private Detectives and Investigators salary by state
| State | Median | Hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $76K | $36.77/hr | 610 |
| Connecticut | $75K | $36.06/hr | 400 |
| District of Columbia | $73K | $34.96/hr | , |
| Vermont | $68K | $32.65/hr | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | $31.43/hr | 280 |
| Washington | $64K | $30.81/hr | 750 |
| California | $61K | $29.45/hr | 4,190 |
| Arizona | $61K | $29.34/hr | 790 |
| Illinois | $60K | $28.95/hr | 1,300 |
| New York | $59K | $28.43/hr | 1,300 |
| Utah | $58K | $27.84/hr | 350 |
| Minnesota | $58K | $27.83/hr | 600 |
| Virginia | $56K | $27/hr | 1,280 |
| Delaware | $56K | $26.78/hr | 110 |
| New Jersey | $55K | $26.31/hr | 410 |
| Rhode Island | $55K | $26.26/hr | 60 |
| Wyoming | $54K | $26.11/hr | 40 |
| Alaska | $53K | $25.69/hr | 70 |
| North Carolina | $53K | $25.43/hr | 1,710 |
| Texas | $52K | $24.91/hr | 3,220 |
| Nebraska | $52K | $24.88/hr | 160 |
| South Carolina | $52K | $24.78/hr | 620 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | $24.62/hr | 1,220 |
| Florida | $51K | $24.35/hr | 3,660 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | $24.15/hr | 280 |
| Tennessee | $49K | $23.73/hr | 940 |
| Colorado | $49K | $23.43/hr | 540 |
| Michigan | $49K | $23.39/hr | 850 |
| Idaho | $48K | $23.03/hr | 210 |
| Arkansas | $48K | $22.96/hr | 370 |
| Kentucky | $48K | $22.91/hr | 350 |
| Montana | $47K | $22.8/hr | 70 |
| Ohio | $47K | $22.69/hr | 1,560 |
| Alabama | $47K | $22.5/hr | 530 |
| West Virginia | $46K | $22.31/hr | 170 |
| Hawaii | $46K | $21.99/hr | 70 |
| Kansas | $45K | $21.76/hr | 280 |
| Georgia | $45K | $21.66/hr | 1,460 |
| South Dakota | $45K | $21.56/hr | 60 |
| North Dakota | $44K | $21.3/hr | 60 |
| Maine | $44K | $21.07/hr | 210 |
| Louisiana | $42K | $20.17/hr | 860 |
| Wisconsin | $42K | $20.12/hr | 410 |
| Indiana | $42K | $20.11/hr | 480 |
| Missouri | $42K | $20/hr | 590 |
| New Mexico | $42K | $20/hr | , |
| Iowa | $41K | $19.77/hr | 170 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | $19.08/hr | 370 |
| Mississippi | $39K | $18.78/hr | 330 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small