Detectives and Criminal Investigators in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach Metro

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pay distribution spans from $60,580 at the 10th percentile to $173,010 at the 90th, a 2.9× observed spread. Differences in specialization, employer, sector, location, credentials, schedule, and experience may all contribute, but OEWS does not isolate their effects. The 25th percentile sits at $74,970 and the 75th at $144,960, so half of Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach-based detectives and criminal investigators earn within that middle band.

Metro figures use establishment work location, not worker residence. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. OEWS includes straight-time pay, tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer health and retirement benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, signing bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses. The same occupation's national profile, statewide FL estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.