33 Series · SOC 33-3021
Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $93,790
- Median / year
- +0.2%
- 2024→2025
- $160,540
- Top 10% earn
- -0.7%
- Growth '24–'34
- 114,430
- Estimated US jobs
Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn a median of $93,790 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $93,790, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $55,390 (10th percentile) to $160,540 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 114,430 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($160,760).
The pay verdict
Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn a median of $93,790, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 80% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Protective Service, it ranks #2 of 24 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.7% by 2034.
- $93,790
- Median annual wage
- Top 20%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #2 of 24
- in Protective Service
- 2.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $160,760. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Detectives and Criminal Investigators moved from $83,170 in May 2019 to $93,790 in May 2025 (+12.8%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators sits -11.7 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators (SOC 33-3021) has a national median of $93,790 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $55,390 to $160,540, and the published mean is $99,430. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 114,430 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 398 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $93,580 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $93,790 in May 2025, a rise of $210 (+0.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 7,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry and less than 5 years as the typical related-work-experience category, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Protective Service Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $160,760, which is +71% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $158,640. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$93,790
per year
Median Hourly
$45.09/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$99,430
average
Employment
114,430
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$93,790 Top 20% higher than 80% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 (this entry) | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$93,790 · 80th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 33-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Detectives and Criminal Investigators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Security Guards: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.4%, Median annual wage $38020
- Police and Sheriff's…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $76210
- Correctional Officer…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -7.8%, Median annual wage $58940
- Firefighters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $59280
- Lifeguards, Ski Patr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $33580
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.9%, Median annual wage $106040
- Detectives and Crimi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $93790
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $93530
- Crossing Guards and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $38100
- Protective Service W…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $42540
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $55940
- School Bus Monitors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.7%, Median annual wage $35100
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.8%, Median annual wage $77970
- Transportation Secur…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6%, Median annual wage $66770
- Private Detectives a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6%, Median annual wage $51220
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.6%, Median annual wage $76400
- Bailiffs: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.2%, Median annual wage $56600
- Fire Inspectors and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $75920
- Animal Control Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $45660
- Gambling Surveillanc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.3%, Median annual wage $43370
- Parking Enforcement …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $46730
- Fish and Game Wardens: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6%, Median annual wage $74060
- Transit and Railroad…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $90230
- Forest Fire Inspecto…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 14.6%, Median annual wage $56870
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-0.7%
Declining
Annual Openings
7,800
per year (projected)
Employment Change
-800
117,900 (2024) → 117,100 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Protective Service Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
7.3/100K
Injury Rate
2.5/100
Danger Index
13.7/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Detectives and Criminal Investigators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse.
- ▸ Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
- ▸ Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
- ▸ Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
- ▸ Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
- ▸ Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.
- ▸ Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.
- ▸ Obtain summary of incident from officer in charge at crime scene, taking care to avoid disturbing evidence.
- ▸ Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene.
- ▸ Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $77,210 |
| 2016 | $78,120 |
| 2017 | $79,970 |
| 2018 | $81,920 |
| 2019 | $83,170 |
| 2020 | $86,940 |
| 2021 | $83,640 |
| 2022 | $86,280 |
| 2023 | $91,100 |
| 2024 | $93,580 |
| 2025 | $93,790 |
2015 median
$77,210
2025 median
$93,790
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,620 (+12.8%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+2%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $77,210 | First banked release | 106,580 |
| May 2016 | $78,120 | +1.2% | 104,980 |
| May 2017 | $79,970 | +2.4% | 105,350 |
| May 2018 | $81,920 | +2.4% | 103,450 |
| May 2019 | $83,170 | Classification break | 105,620 |
| May 2020 | $86,940 | +4.5% | 105,980 |
| May 2021 | $83,640 | -3.8% | 107,890 |
| May 2022 | $86,280 | +3.2% | 107,400 |
| May 2023 | $91,100 | +5.6% | 106,730 |
| May 2024 | $93,580 | +2.7% | 110,790 |
| May 2025 | $93,790 | +0.2% | 114,430 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $77,210 in May 2015 to $93,790 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 105,620 in May 2019 to 114,430 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $160,760 | +71% above national |
| 2 | Maryland | $126,730 | +35% above national |
| 3 | California | $124,840 | +33% above national |
| 4 | Delaware | $122,050 | +30% above national |
| 5 | New Jersey | $116,300 | +24% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $115,790 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Alaska | $114,940 | +23% above national |
| 8 | Hawaii | $113,940 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Virginia | $112,760 | +20% above national |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $110,150 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $107,450 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $106,330 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Colorado | $105,480 | +12% above national |
| 14 | Arizona | $102,340 | +9% above national |
| 15 | New York | $101,240 | +8% above national |
| 16 | Nebraska | $100,530 | +7% above national |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $97,580 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Connecticut | $95,240 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Nevada | $94,470 | +1% above national |
| 20 | Montana | $92,410 | 1% below national |
| 21 | West Virginia | $92,410 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Illinois | $91,190 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $91,040 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Michigan | $90,650 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Texas | $90,510 | 3% below national |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $89,290 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $88,450 | 6% below national |
| 28 | Maine | $88,310 | 6% below national |
| 29 | New Mexico | $86,840 | 7% below national |
| 30 | North Dakota | $82,290 | 12% below national |
| 31 | Wyoming | $81,880 | 13% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $80,430 | 14% below national |
| 33 | Minnesota | $80,000 | 15% below national |
| 34 | Iowa | $79,560 | 15% below national |
| 35 | Ohio | $79,300 | 15% below national |
| 36 | Utah | $78,920 | 16% below national |
| 37 | South Dakota | $77,730 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Tennessee | $77,090 | 18% below national |
| 39 | Florida | $77,060 | 18% below national |
| 40 | Kansas | $75,740 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Missouri | $75,650 | 19% below national |
| 42 | Idaho | $72,520 | 23% below national |
| 43 | Kentucky | $71,670 | 24% below national |
| 44 | Puerto Rico | $70,760 | 25% below national |
| 45 | Indiana | $70,340 | 25% below national |
| 46 | Alabama | $66,290 | 29% below national |
| 47 | Georgia | $65,430 | 30% below national |
| 48 | North Carolina | $63,280 | 33% below national |
| 49 | South Carolina | $62,760 | 33% below national |
| 50 | Louisiana | $60,450 | 36% below national |
| 51 | Mississippi | $58,640 | 37% below national |
| 52 | Arkansas | $54,500 | 42% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 288 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $158,640 | +69% above national |
| 2 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $158,060 | +69% above national |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $156,750 | +67% above national |
| 4 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $153,570 | +64% above national |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $140,750 | +50% above national |
| 6 | Great Falls, MT | $136,120 | +45% above national |
| 7 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $133,100 | +42% above national |
| 8 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $130,810 | +39% above national |
| 9 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $128,440 | +37% above national |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $127,890 | +36% above national |
| 11 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $127,420 | +36% above national |
| 12 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $126,700 | +35% above national |
| 13 | Anchorage, AK | $125,240 | +34% above national |
| 14 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $124,840 | +33% above national |
| 15 | El Centro, CA | $123,970 | +32% above national |
| 16 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $123,820 | +32% above national |
| 17 | Bellingham, WA | $122,840 | +31% above national |
| 18 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $121,100 | +29% above national |
| 19 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $119,350 | +27% above national |
| 20 | Roanoke, VA | $114,050 | +22% above national |
| 21 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $113,360 | +21% above national |
| 22 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $113,340 | +21% above national |
| 23 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $111,860 | +19% above national |
| 24 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $111,530 | +19% above national |
| 25 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $110,760 | +18% above national |
| 26 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $110,750 | +18% above national |
| 27 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $110,150 | +17% above national |
| 28 | Fresno, CA | $109,720 | +17% above national |
| 29 | Springfield, MA | $109,510 | +17% above national |
| 30 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $109,500 | +17% above national |
| 31 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $109,460 | +17% above national |
| 32 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $109,300 | +17% above national |
| 33 | El Paso, TX | $109,300 | +17% above national |
| 34 | Sandusky, OH | $109,300 | +17% above national |
| 35 | Yakima, WA | $108,890 | +16% above national |
| 36 | Vallejo, CA | $108,430 | +16% above national |
| 37 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $108,350 | +16% above national |
| 38 | Rochester, NY | $107,660 | +15% above national |
| 39 | Reno, NV | $107,470 | +15% above national |
| 40 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $107,350 | +14% above national |
| 41 | San Angelo, TX | $106,580 | +14% above national |
| 42 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $106,440 | +13% above national |
| 43 | Las Cruces, NM | $106,330 | +13% above national |
| 44 | Grand Junction, CO | $106,270 | +13% above national |
| 45 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $106,110 | +13% above national |
| 46 | Pueblo, CO | $106,000 | +13% above national |
| 47 | Salinas, CA | $105,990 | +13% above national |
| 48 | Ann Arbor, MI | $105,780 | +13% above national |
| 49 | Tucson, AZ | $105,350 | +12% above national |
| 50 | Omaha, NE-IA | $105,310 | +12% above national |
| 51 | Rockford, IL | $104,150 | +11% above national |
| 52 | Modesto, CA | $104,000 | +11% above national |
| 53 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $103,780 | +11% above national |
| 54 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $103,380 | +10% above national |
| 55 | Boulder, CO | $103,360 | +10% above national |
| 56 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $103,140 | +10% above national |
| 57 | Bend, OR | $103,000 | +10% above national |
| 58 | Vineland, NJ | $102,980 | +10% above national |
| 59 | Madison, WI | $102,780 | +10% above national |
| 60 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $102,710 | +10% above national |
| 61 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $102,260 | +9% above national |
| 62 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $101,500 | +8% above national |
| 63 | Barnstable Town, MA | $100,680 | +7% above national |
| 64 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $99,860 | +6% above national |
| 65 | Lincoln, NE | $99,760 | +6% above national |
| 66 | Missoula, MT | $99,560 | +6% above national |
| 67 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $99,080 | +6% above national |
| 68 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $99,010 | +6% above national |
| 69 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $98,860 | +5% above national |
| 70 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $98,700 | +5% above national |
| 71 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $98,690 | +5% above national |
| 72 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $98,620 | +5% above national |
| 73 | Syracuse, NY | $98,390 | +5% above national |
| 74 | Greeley, CO | $98,370 | +5% above national |
| 75 | Mobile, AL | $98,310 | +5% above national |
| 76 | Laredo, TX | $98,180 | +5% above national |
| 77 | Salem, OR | $97,750 | +4% above national |
| 78 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $97,580 | +4% above national |
| 79 | Lancaster, PA | $97,190 | +4% above national |
| 80 | New Haven, CT | $96,790 | +3% above national |
| 81 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $96,760 | +3% above national |
| 82 | Flint, MI | $96,740 | +3% above national |
| 83 | Erie, PA | $96,470 | +3% above national |
| 84 | Lynchburg, VA | $96,430 | +3% above national |
| 85 | York-Hanover, PA | $96,070 | +2% above national |
| 86 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $95,820 | +2% above national |
| 87 | Reading, PA | $95,190 | +1% above national |
| 88 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $95,150 | +1% above national |
| 89 | Pittsburgh, PA | $95,120 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $94,800 | +1% above national |
| 91 | Yuma, AZ | $94,520 | +1% above national |
| 92 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $94,470 | +1% above national |
| 93 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $94,470 | +1% above national |
| 94 | Redding, CA | $94,280 | +1% above national |
| 95 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $93,790 | same as national |
| 96 | Charlottesville, VA | $93,160 | 1% below national |
| 97 | Lawrence, KS | $93,020 | 1% below national |
| 98 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $92,910 | 1% below national |
| 99 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $92,420 | 1% below national |
| 100 | Charleston, WV | $92,410 | 1% below national |
| 101 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $92,410 | 1% below national |
| 102 | Jacksonville, NC | $92,410 | 1% below national |
| 103 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $92,110 | 2% below national |
| 104 | Appleton, WI | $92,030 | 2% below national |
| 105 | Kenosha, WI | $91,820 | 2% below national |
| 106 | Eagle Pass, TX | $91,560 | 2% below national |
| 107 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $91,490 | 2% below national |
| 108 | Binghamton, NY | $91,470 | 2% below national |
| 109 | Huntsville, AL | $91,230 | 3% below national |
| 110 | Richmond, VA | $91,080 | 3% below national |
| 111 | Utica-Rome, NY | $90,430 | 4% below national |
| 112 | State College, PA | $90,250 | 4% below national |
| 113 | Corpus Christi, TX | $89,970 | 4% below national |
| 114 | Cleveland, OH | $89,300 | 5% below national |
| 115 | Worcester, MA | $89,270 | 5% below national |
| 116 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $89,210 | 5% below national |
| 117 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $88,790 | 5% below national |
| 118 | Springfield, IL | $88,790 | 5% below national |
| 119 | Wausau, WI | $88,780 | 5% below national |
| 120 | Bangor, ME | $88,710 | 5% below national |
| 121 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $88,450 | 6% below national |
| 122 | Ogden, UT | $88,270 | 6% below national |
| 123 | Kingston, NY | $87,990 | 6% below national |
| 124 | Wichita, KS | $87,280 | 7% below national |
| 125 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $86,510 | 8% below national |
| 126 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $86,440 | 8% below national |
| 127 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $86,390 | 8% below national |
| 128 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $86,110 | 8% below national |
| 129 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $86,110 | 8% below national |
| 130 | Colorado Springs, CO | $85,750 | 9% below national |
| 131 | Visalia, CA | $85,740 | 9% below national |
| 132 | Fargo, ND-MN | $85,300 | 9% below national |
| 133 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $85,300 | 9% below national |
| 134 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $84,900 | 9% below national |
| 135 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $84,800 | 10% below national |
| 136 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $84,660 | 10% below national |
| 137 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $84,520 | 10% below national |
| 138 | Green Bay, WI | $84,190 | 10% below national |
| 139 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $83,830 | 11% below national |
| 140 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $83,620 | 11% below national |
| 141 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $83,620 | 11% below national |
| 142 | Boise City, ID | $83,050 | 11% below national |
| 143 | Tulsa, OK | $82,420 | 12% below national |
| 144 | Oklahoma City, OK | $81,720 | 13% below national |
| 145 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $81,660 | 13% below national |
| 146 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $81,500 | 13% below national |
| 147 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $80,930 | 14% below national |
| 148 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $80,770 | 14% below national |
| 149 | Battle Creek, MI | $80,680 | 14% below national |
| 150 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $80,180 | 15% below national |
| 151 | Saginaw, MI | $80,140 | 15% below national |
| 152 | Tyler, TX | $79,710 | 15% below national |
| 153 | Birmingham, AL | $79,560 | 15% below national |
| 154 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $79,560 | 15% below national |
| 155 | Glens Falls, NY | $79,560 | 15% below national |
| 156 | Bowling Green, KY | $79,360 | 15% below national |
| 157 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $79,030 | 16% below national |
| 158 | Columbus, OH | $79,000 | 16% below national |
| 159 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $78,970 | 16% below national |
| 160 | Lawton, OK | $78,920 | 16% below national |
| 161 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $78,920 | 16% below national |
| 162 | Midland, TX | $78,920 | 16% below national |
| 163 | Minot, ND | $78,920 | 16% below national |
| 164 | Evansville, IN | $78,890 | 16% below national |
| 165 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $78,610 | 16% below national |
| 166 | Knoxville, TN | $78,600 | 16% below national |
| 167 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $78,460 | 16% below national |
| 168 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $78,410 | 16% below national |
| 169 | Eau Claire, WI | $78,310 | 17% below national |
| 170 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $78,200 | 17% below national |
| 171 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $77,960 | 17% below national |
| 172 | Rapid City, SD | $77,730 | 17% below national |
| 173 | Flagstaff, AZ | $77,680 | 17% below national |
| 174 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $77,410 | 17% below national |
| 175 | Duluth, MN-WI | $77,330 | 18% below national |
| 176 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $77,250 | 18% below national |
| 177 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $77,210 | 18% below national |
| 178 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $76,730 | 18% below national |
| 179 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $76,320 | 19% below national |
| 180 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $76,310 | 19% below national |
| 181 | Akron, OH | $76,230 | 19% below national |
| 182 | Santa Fe, NM | $76,230 | 19% below national |
| 183 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $75,850 | 19% below national |
| 184 | Jackson, TN | $75,610 | 19% below national |
| 185 | Toledo, OH | $75,610 | 19% below national |
| 186 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $75,420 | 20% below national |
| 187 | Rochester, MN | $75,100 | 20% below national |
| 188 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $74,990 | 20% below national |
| 189 | Amarillo, TX | $74,980 | 20% below national |
| 190 | Fort Wayne, IN | $74,820 | 20% below national |
| 191 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $74,600 | 20% below national |
| 192 | Jacksonville, FL | $74,580 | 20% below national |
| 193 | Warner Robins, GA | $74,250 | 21% below national |
| 194 | Johnson City, TN | $74,020 | 21% below national |
| 195 | Helena, MT | $73,950 | 21% below national |
| 196 | Peoria, IL | $73,700 | 21% below national |
| 197 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $73,520 | 22% below national |
| 198 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $73,430 | 22% below national |
| 199 | Traverse City, MI | $73,050 | 22% below national |
| 200 | Billings, MT | $72,880 | 22% below national |
| 201 | Lubbock, TX | $72,820 | 22% below national |
| 202 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $72,800 | 22% below national |
| 203 | Savannah, GA | $72,460 | 23% below national |
| 204 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $72,420 | 23% below national |
| 205 | Twin Falls, ID | $72,150 | 23% below national |
| 206 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $72,060 | 23% below national |
| 207 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $71,680 | 24% below national |
| 208 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $71,460 | 24% below national |
| 209 | Waco, TX | $70,990 | 24% below national |
| 210 | Albany, GA | $70,930 | 24% below national |
| 211 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $70,760 | 25% below national |
| 212 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $70,760 | 25% below national |
| 213 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $70,740 | 25% below national |
| 214 | Montgomery, AL | $70,710 | 25% below national |
| 215 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $70,590 | 25% below national |
| 216 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $69,900 | 25% below national |
| 217 | Farmington, NM | $69,640 | 26% below national |
| 218 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $69,450 | 26% below national |
| 219 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $68,790 | 27% below national |
| 220 | Pocatello, ID | $68,720 | 27% below national |
| 221 | Jackson, MS | $68,520 | 27% below national |
| 222 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $68,520 | 27% below national |
| 223 | St. Cloud, MN | $68,490 | 27% below national |
| 224 | Rocky Mount, NC | $67,970 | 28% below national |
| 225 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $67,750 | 28% below national |
| 226 | Gainesville, FL | $66,350 | 29% below national |
| 227 | Columbia, SC | $66,340 | 29% below national |
| 228 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $65,980 | 30% below national |
| 229 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $65,040 | 31% below national |
| 230 | Monroe, LA | $65,010 | 31% below national |
| 231 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $64,980 | 31% below national |
| 232 | Bismarck, ND | $64,640 | 31% below national |
| 233 | Fayetteville, NC | $64,590 | 31% below national |
| 234 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $64,320 | 31% below national |
| 235 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $64,140 | 32% below national |
| 236 | Longview, TX | $63,950 | 32% below national |
| 237 | Springfield, MO | $63,920 | 32% below national |
| 238 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $63,910 | 32% below national |
| 239 | Burlington, NC | $63,780 | 32% below national |
| 240 | Baton Rouge, LA | $63,760 | 32% below national |
| 241 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $63,130 | 33% below national |
| 242 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $62,700 | 33% below national |
| 243 | Wilmington, NC | $62,580 | 33% below national |
| 244 | Gainesville, GA | $62,520 | 33% below national |
| 245 | Asheville, NC | $62,460 | 33% below national |
| 246 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $62,430 | 33% below national |
| 247 | Winston-Salem, NC | $62,260 | 34% below national |
| 248 | Alexandria, LA | $62,030 | 34% below national |
| 249 | Spartanburg, SC | $61,920 | 34% below national |
| 250 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $61,300 | 35% below national |
| 251 | Greenville, NC | $61,220 | 35% below national |
| 252 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $61,210 | 35% below national |
| 253 | Columbia, MO | $61,170 | 35% below national |
| 254 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $61,140 | 35% below national |
| 255 | Lafayette, LA | $60,820 | 35% below national |
| 256 | Ocala, FL | $60,470 | 36% below national |
| 257 | Hinesville, GA | $60,150 | 36% below national |
| 258 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $60,100 | 36% below national |
| 259 | Abilene, TX | $59,980 | 36% below national |
| 260 | Sebring, FL | $59,890 | 36% below national |
| 261 | Hammond, LA | $59,400 | 37% below national |
| 262 | Goldsboro, NC | $59,390 | 37% below national |
| 263 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $59,240 | 37% below national |
| 264 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $58,850 | 37% below national |
| 265 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $58,610 | 38% below national |
| 266 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $58,410 | 38% below national |
| 267 | Tallahassee, FL | $58,410 | 38% below national |
| 268 | Lake Charles, LA | $58,240 | 38% below national |
| 269 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $58,090 | 38% below national |
| 270 | Victoria, TX | $58,030 | 38% below national |
| 271 | Topeka, KS | $57,700 | 38% below national |
| 272 | Hattiesburg, MS | $57,420 | 39% below national |
| 273 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $57,220 | 39% below national |
| 274 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $57,060 | 39% below national |
| 275 | Jefferson City, MO | $56,870 | 39% below national |
| 276 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $56,710 | 40% below national |
| 277 | Sumter, SC | $56,500 | 40% below national |
| 278 | Terre Haute, IN | $56,320 | 40% below national |
| 279 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $56,270 | 40% below national |
| 280 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $55,950 | 40% below national |
| 281 | Valdosta, GA | $55,520 | 41% below national |
| 282 | Florence, SC | $55,320 | 41% below national |
| 283 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $52,540 | 44% below national |
| 284 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $50,700 | 46% below national |
| 285 | Columbus, GA-AL | $50,080 | 47% below national |
| 286 | Joplin, MO-KS | $49,200 | 48% below national |
| 287 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $48,270 | 49% below national |
| 288 | Albuquerque, NM | $47,480 | 49% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 33 (Protective Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Animal Control Workers
SOC 33-9011
Bailiffs
SOC 33-3011
Correctional Officers and Jailers
SOC 33-3012
Crossing Guards and Flaggers
SOC 33-9091
Fire Inspectors and Investigators
SOC 33-2021
Showing 5 of 23 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Protective Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($93,790 here) and reported employment (114,430 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $120,520/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $160,760/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.