Private Detectives and Investigators Salary
The median pay for a private detectives and investigators in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT is $57,910/year ($27.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.87), that's roughly $57,411 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,241/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Salt Lake City-Murray?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salt Lake City-Murray’s Regional Price Parity (100.87). 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 Salt Lake City-Murray
Salt Lake City-Murray sits well above the national pay line for private detectives and investigators, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. Rent runs $1,241/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.87) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for private detectives and investigators in metros near Salt Lake City-Murray, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Ogden | $55K | $55K |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $55K | $56K |
| Albuquerque | $42K | $44K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $64K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
Entry-level private detectives and investigators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $45K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when Salt Lake City-Murray numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a private detectives and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salt Lake City-Murray?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 32.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,241/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new private detectives and investigators typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,322/month. At HUD’s $1,241/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $58K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Salt Lake City-Murray compare to the national average for private detectives and investigators?
Salt Lake City-Murray pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do private detectives and investigators make in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT?
The median is $57,910 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,700, and experienced private detectives and investigators can clear $83,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Salt Lake City-Murray?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,823/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,241/month, which eats 32.5% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Salt Lake City-Murray has a Regional Price Parity of 100.87 (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 $57,411 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.