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Private Detectives and Investigators salary in the U.S.

Private Detectives and Investigators in the U.S. earn a median of $51,220 a year ($24.62 an hour), based on BLS data for 35,580 workers.

Median salary
$51,220
Hourly
$24.62
Average
$60,150
Top 10% earn
$97,630
Workers
35,580

Pay ranges from $36,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $97,630 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $60,150, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for private detectives and investigators in the U.S.

$0$110,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$36,740$17.66
25th percentile$40,700$19.57
Median$51,220$24.62
75th percentile$73,990$35.57
90th percentile (top earners)$97,630$46.94
Average (mean)$60,150$28.92

Half of private detectives and investigators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$4,268.33
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$2,134.17
Biweekly (26 a year)$1,970
Weekly$985
Hourly$24.62

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Private Detectives and Investigators salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Oregon$76,480610
Connecticut$75,010400
District of Columbia$72,720n/a
Vermont$67,91090
New Hampshire$65,370280
Washington$64,080750
California$61,2504,190
Arizona$61,030790
Illinois$60,2101,300
New York$59,1401,300
Utah$57,910350
Minnesota$57,880600
Virginia$56,1601,280
Delaware$55,710110
New Jersey$54,710410
Rhode Island$54,62060
Wyoming$54,31040
Alaska$53,44070
North Carolina$52,8901,710
Texas$51,8103,220
Nebraska$51,750160
South Carolina$51,530620
Pennsylvania$51,2001,220
Florida$50,6403,660
Massachusetts$50,240280
Tennessee$49,360940
Colorado$48,730540
Michigan$48,650850
Idaho$47,910210
Arkansas$47,750370
Kentucky$47,650350
Montana$47,43070
Ohio$47,2001,560
Alabama$46,810530
West Virginia$46,410170
Hawaii$45,75070
Kansas$45,260280
Georgia$45,0601,460
South Dakota$44,84060
North Dakota$44,31060
Maine$43,830210
Puerto Rico$42,190120
Louisiana$41,950860
Wisconsin$41,850410
Indiana$41,830480
Missouri$41,600590
New Mexico$41,600n/a
Iowa$41,110170
Oklahoma$39,680370
Mississippi$39,060330

Best-paying metro areas for private detectives and investigators

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Memphis, TN-MS-AR$99,680310
Salem, OR$81,070180
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$78,330270
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$77,540150
Waterbury-Shelton, CT$76,63050
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$75,670430
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$73,430860
Manchester-Nashua, NH$70,780100
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$70,220410
Burlington-South Burlington, VT$70,19050
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$70,150430
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$68,310970
New Haven, CT$65,03070
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$64,400610
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$64,08060

Metro areas with the most private detectives and investigators

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA1,520$61,680
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX1,070$61,460
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ1,040$59,140
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL1,030$54,720
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA980$45,080
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN970$68,310
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC860$73,430
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV790$62,300
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX710$46,110
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL660$51,390
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ610$64,400
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL450$47,360
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD450$53,680
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA430$70,150
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA430$75,670

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Security Guard$38,020$18.28
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$33,580$16.14
Crossing Guards and Flaggers$38,100$18.32
Protective Service Workers, All Other$42,540$20.45
School Bus Monitor$35,100$16.88
Transportation Security Screener$66,770$32.10
Animal Control Worker$45,660$21.95
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators$43,370$20.85
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210$36.64
Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940$28.34
Firefighter$59,280$28.50
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$106,040$50.98
Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790$45.09
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$93,530$44.96

More: Protective Service Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 33-9021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a private detectives and investigators make in the U.S.?

The median salary for private detectives and investigators in the U.S. is $51,220 a year, or $24.62 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $97,630 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid private detectives and investigators make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of private detectives and investigators in the U.S. earn at least $97,630 a year. The top 25% earn $73,990 or more.

What is the starting pay for private detectives and investigators in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,740 a year, and a quarter of private detectives and investigators earn $40,700 or less.

How many private detectives and investigators work in the U.S.?

About 35,580 private detectives and investigators are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.