Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary in Colorado
Detectives and criminal investigators in Colorado earned a median of $105,480 a year ($50.71 an hour) and a mean of $109,010 in May 2025. The median is 12.5% above the U.S. median of $93,790, ranking 13th of 52 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $105,480
- Median hourly
- $50.71
- Mean annual
- $109,010
- Jobs on record
- 1,930
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 Colorado compare on pay for detectives and criminal investigators?
Colorado ranks 13th of 52 states and territories. District of Columbia is highest at $160,760, $55,280 more than the Colorado median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 11 | $107,450 | +15% | 520 |
| 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 |
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 Colorado pay go further after prices?
Prices in Colorado run 3.1% above the U.S. average, so the $105,480 median buys about what $102,356 buys at average U.S. prices, above the $93,790 U.S. median. On this measure Colorado ranks 15th of 51, down from 13th 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 Colorado pay detectives and criminal investigators the most?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is highest at $113,340, 7.5% above the Colorado median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $113,340 | 1,230 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $106,270 | 70 |
| Pueblo, CO | $106,000 | 30 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $104,990 | 60 |
| Boulder, CO | $103,360 | 50 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $103,140 | 60 |
| Greeley, CO | $98,370 | 50 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $85,750 | 230 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $82,280 | 50 |
| Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $81,200 | 100 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Colorado 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 Colorado?
BLS counts 1,930 jobs in Colorado, 1.7% of the 114,430 in the U.S. That is the 17th largest count among the 52 states and territories with a published figure. That is 0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in Colorado, a location quotient of 0.91: the occupation's share of local jobs is 0.91 times its national share, so it is less concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
Related jobs in Colorado
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.