Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary in Arizona
Detectives and criminal investigators in Arizona earned a median of $102,340 a year ($49.20 an hour) and a mean of $100,000 in May 2025. The median is 9.1% above the U.S. median of $93,790, ranking 14th of 52 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $102,340
- Median hourly
- $49.20
- Mean annual
- $100,000
- Jobs on record
- 5,250
Grey needle: U.S. median, $93,790 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does Arizona compare on pay for detectives and criminal investigators?
Arizona ranks 14th of 52 states and territories. District of Columbia is highest at $160,760, $58,420 more than the Arizona median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 12 | $106,330 | +13% | 190 |
| Colorado | 13 | $105,480 | +12% | 1,930 |
| Arizona | 14 | $102,340 | +9% | 5,250 |
| New York | 15 | $101,240 | +8% | 9,600 |
| Nebraska | 16 | $100,530 | +7% | 290 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 52 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does Arizona pay go further after prices?
Prices in Arizona run 0.7% above the U.S. average, so the $102,340 median buys about what $101,652 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $93,790 U.S. median. On this measure Arizona ranks 16th of 51, down from 14th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in Arizona pay detectives and criminal investigators the most?
Arizona nonmetropolitan area is highest at $108,350, 5.9% above the Arizona median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $108,350 | 780 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $108,350 | 730 |
| Tucson, AZ | $105,350 | 1,620 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $98,860 | 1,140 |
| Yuma, AZ | $94,520 | 790 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $78,610 | 40 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $77,680 | 120 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Arizona is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many detectives and criminal investigators work in Arizona?
BLS counts 5,250 jobs in Arizona, 4.6% of the 114,430 in the U.S. That is the 5th largest count among the 52 states and territories with a published figure. That is 1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in Arizona, a location quotient of 2.20: the occupation's share of local jobs is 2.20 times its national share, so it is more concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
Related jobs in Arizona
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.