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How Much Does a Private Detective and Investigator Make?
A private detective and investigator in the US earns a median salary of $51,220 a year, or $24.62 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $60,150, and the middle half earn between $40,700 and $73,990.
Private detective and investigator pay range
What private detectives and investigators earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $36,740 | $17.66 | |
| 25th | $40,700 | $19.57 | |
| Median (50th) | $51,220 | $24.62 | |
| 75th | $73,990 | $35.57 | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $97,630 | $46.94 |
The median is 0% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 35,580 people work as private detectives and investigators in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $985
- Every two weeks
- $1,970
- Twice a month
- $2,134
- A month
- $4,268
At the median salary, before tax.
Private detective and investigator salary by state
Sorted by average pay. District of Columbia pays private detectives and investigators the most, at $88,260 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88,260 | $72,720 | – | After tax |
| Oregon | $74,690 | $76,480 | 610 | After tax |
| Washington | $71,020 | $64,080 | 750 | After tax |
| Massachusetts | $70,110 | $50,240 | 280 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $69,350 | $65,370 | 280 | After tax |
| New York | $68,310 | $59,140 | 1,300 | After tax |
| California | $67,040 | $61,250 | 4,190 | After tax |
| Connecticut | $66,560 | $75,010 | 400 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $66,510 | $57,880 | 600 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $66,160 | $54,710 | 410 | After tax |
| Illinois | $64,440 | $60,210 | 1,300 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $63,810 | $49,360 | 940 | After tax |
| Vermont | $63,670 | $67,910 | 90 | After tax |
| Arizona | $62,410 | $61,030 | 790 | After tax |
| Alaska | $62,190 | $53,440 | 70 | After tax |
| Virginia | $61,940 | $56,160 | 1,280 | After tax |
| North Carolina | $61,350 | $52,890 | 1,710 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $60,960 | $54,620 | 60 | After tax |
| Pennsylvania | $59,880 | $51,200 | 1,220 | After tax |
| Utah | $59,830 | $57,910 | 350 | After tax |
| Delaware | $59,230 | $55,710 | 110 | After tax |
| South Carolina | $58,980 | $51,530 | 620 | After tax |
| Colorado | $58,910 | $48,730 | 540 | After tax |
| Wyoming | $58,800 | $54,310 | 40 | After tax |
| Texas | $58,670 | $51,810 | 3,220 | After tax |
| Nebraska | $58,140 | $51,750 | 160 | After tax |
| Arkansas | $57,940 | $47,750 | 370 | After tax |
| Ohio | $56,980 | $47,200 | 1,560 | After tax |
| Florida | $55,820 | $50,640 | 3,660 | After tax |
| Hawaii | $54,920 | $45,750 | 70 | After tax |
| Georgia | $54,730 | $45,060 | 1,460 | After tax |
| Idaho | $54,530 | $47,910 | 210 | After tax |
| Michigan | $53,850 | $48,650 | 850 | After tax |
| Montana | $52,540 | $47,430 | 70 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $51,130 | $47,650 | 350 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $50,660 | $41,850 | 410 | After tax |
| Kansas | $50,220 | $45,260 | 280 | After tax |
| West Virginia | $49,600 | $46,410 | 170 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $49,550 | $41,600 | – | After tax |
| Indiana | $49,080 | $41,830 | 480 | After tax |
| Alabama | $48,750 | $46,810 | 530 | After tax |
| Maine | $48,590 | $43,830 | 210 | After tax |
| Iowa | $48,190 | $41,110 | 170 | After tax |
| Missouri | $48,150 | $41,600 | 590 | After tax |
| North Dakota | $47,230 | $44,310 | 60 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $46,450 | $39,680 | 370 | After tax |
| Mississippi | $46,370 | $39,060 | 330 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $46,110 | $41,950 | 860 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $44,210 | $44,840 | 60 | After tax |
| Puerto Rico | $37,480 | $42,190 | 120 |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other protective service jobs
- Security guard $38,020 median
- Police officer $76,210 median
- Correctional officer $58,940 median
- Firefighter $59,280 median
- Lifeguard, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service worker $33,580 median
- First-line supervisor of police and detectives $106,040 median
- Detective $93,790 median
- First-line supervisor of firefighting and prevention workers $93,530 median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Private Detectives and Investigators” (SOC 33-9021). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a private detective and investigator make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a private detective and investigator is $24.62, and the average is $28.92. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $17.66 an hour and the top 10% over $46.94.
How much does a private detective and investigator make a month?
At the median salary of $51,220, a private detective and investigator earns about $4,268 a month before tax, or $1,970 every two weeks.
Which state pays private detectives and investigators the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for a private detective and investigator, at $88,260 a year. Next are Oregon and Washington. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for a private detective and investigator?
The lowest-paid 10% of private detectives and investigators earn less than $36,740 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $40,700. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid private detectives and investigators make?
The top 10% earn more than $97,630 a year, and the top 25% more than $73,990.
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