33 Series · SOC 33-9021

Private Detectives and Investigators

National salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024)

Median Salary

$52,370

per year

Median Hourly

$25.18/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$61,680

average

Employment

38,700

jobs nationwide

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$37,250

25th Percentile

$41,940

Median

$52,370

75th Percentile

$75,310

90th Percentile

$98,770

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Oregon $77,320 2. Maryland $74,360 3. Illinois $73,070 4. Minnesota $72,070 5. Connecticut $68,290

Lowest Paying States

46. Mississippi $39,460 47. Oklahoma $40,470 48. Wisconsin $43,210 49. Arkansas $43,310 50. Puerto Rico $43,360

View all 50 states →

#	State	Median Salary	Mean Salary	Employment	vs National
1	Oregon	$77,320	$75,590	480	+48% above national
2	Maryland	$74,360	$84,950	560	+42% above national
3	Illinois	$73,070	$71,380	1,770	+40% above national
4	Minnesota	$72,070	$69,860	940	+38% above national
5	Connecticut	$68,290	$64,200	400	+30% above national
6	Wyoming	$67,360	$64,540	40	+29% above national
7	Vermont	$66,070	$62,950	N/A	+26% above national
8	Washington	$65,370	$72,710	840	+25% above national
9	Arizona	$64,960	$70,250	980	+24% above national
10	California	$60,210	$67,140	5,260	+15% above national
11	New York	$59,840	$73,290	1,850	+14% above national
12	Massachusetts	$57,840	$67,190	480	+10% above national
13	North Carolina	$55,190	$62,490	1,370	+5% above national
14	Alaska	$54,080	$62,310	80	+3% above national
15	South Carolina	$53,890	$61,700	650	+3% above national
16	Nebraska	$52,160	$61,020	130	same as national
17	New Hampshire	$51,990	$57,830	230	1% below national
18	Rhode Island	$51,610	$59,440	100	1% below national
19	New Jersey	$51,540	$62,080	790	2% below national
20	Pennsylvania	$51,220	$62,050	1,550	2% below national
21	Utah	$51,130	$57,700	360	2% below national
22	Ohio	$50,060	$56,050	1,360	4% below national
23	Colorado	$49,720	$59,800	580	5% below national
24	Michigan	$49,700	$55,580	980	5% below national
25	Delaware	$49,400	$55,500	120	6% below national
26	Maine	$49,360	$52,170	200	6% below national
27	Florida	$48,880	$57,240	3,780	7% below national
28	Virginia	$48,740	$61,010	900	7% below national
29	Idaho	$48,170	$50,420	300	8% below national
30	Kentucky	$48,130	$52,710	490	8% below national
31	Texas	$48,070	$58,630	3,440	8% below national
32	Montana	$47,910	$54,260	60	9% below national
33	Nevada	$47,550	$70,010	420	9% below national
34	Alabama	$47,180	$51,790	580	10% below national
35	West Virginia	$46,830	$49,880	250	11% below national
36	Tennessee	$46,560	$59,230	690	11% below national
37	North Dakota	$45,710	$48,050	60	13% below national
38	Indiana	$45,400	$52,140	560	13% below national
39	Iowa	$45,070	$51,930	140	14% below national
40	Kansas	$45,020	$48,870	270	14% below national
41	New Mexico	$44,870	$51,790	190	14% below national
42	Georgia	$44,590	$55,190	1,340	15% below national
43	Hawaii	$44,390	$56,750	60	15% below national
44	Missouri	$43,780	$49,750	450	16% below national
45	Louisiana	$43,390	$47,520	890	17% below national
46	Puerto Rico	$43,360	$38,610	220	17% below national
47	Arkansas	$43,310	$54,090	360	17% below national
48	Wisconsin	$43,210	$51,550	450	17% below national
49	Oklahoma	$40,470	$47,780	320	23% below national
50	Mississippi	$39,460	$48,380	370	25% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Lexington Park, MD $80,060 2. Salem, OR $79,550 3. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $79,110 4. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $77,680 5. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $76,730

Lowest Paying Metros

172. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $36,550 173. Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $37,230 174. Wilmington, NC $37,680 175. Columbus, GA-AL $38,010 176. Lansing-East Lansing, MI $38,280

View all 176 metro areas →

#	Metro Area	Median Salary	Employment	vs National
1	Lexington Park, MD	$80,060	30	+53% above national
2	Salem, OR	$79,550	170	+52% above national
3	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$79,110	230	+51% above national
4	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$77,680	1,320	+48% above national
5	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$76,730	670	+47% above national
6	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$75,400	540	+44% above national
7	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$75,230	760	+44% above national
8	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$74,720	740	+43% above national
9	Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$73,530	70	+40% above national
10	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$73,530	140	+40% above national
11	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$69,550	480	+33% above national
12	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$69,500	380	+33% above national
13	Syracuse, NY	$69,120	60	+32% above national
14	Jefferson City, MO	$68,330	30	+30% above national
15	Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$67,520	N/A	+29% above national
16	Manchester-Nashua, NH	$65,260	70	+25% above national
17	Richmond, VA	$63,580	170	+21% above national
18	Albuquerque, NM	$62,600	110	+20% above national
19	Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area	$62,230	60	+19% above national
20	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$62,190	490	+19% above national
21	Waterbury-Shelton, CT	$61,850	50	+18% above national
22	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$60,450	210	+15% above national
23	Tyler, TX	$60,450	50	+15% above national
24	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$60,280	390	+15% above national
25	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$59,950	1,780	+14% above national
26	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$59,840	1,740	+14% above national
27	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$59,840	340	+14% above national
28	Stockton-Lodi, CA	$59,640	110	+14% above national
29	Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$59,040	330	+13% above national
30	Anchorage, AK	$58,880	50	+12% above national
31	Vallejo, CA	$58,250	40	+11% above national
32	Ogden, UT	$57,980	50	+11% above national
33	New Haven, CT	$57,770	70	+10% above national
34	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$57,680	500	+10% above national
35	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$57,650	90	+10% above national
36	Greenville, NC	$57,590	40	+10% above national
37	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$57,130	100	+9% above national
38	Cleveland, OH	$57,030	270	+9% above national
39	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$56,660	250	+8% above national
40	Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$55,970	210	+7% above national
41	Rochester, NY	$55,500	100	+6% above national
42	Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$55,230	40	+5% above national
43	Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	$55,050	40	+5% above national
44	Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	$54,720	30	+4% above national
45	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$54,080	1,180	+3% above national
46	Portland-South Portland, ME	$53,770	90	+3% above national
47	Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$53,540	50	+2% above national
48	Peoria, IL	$53,440	30	+2% above national
49	Akron, OH	$53,190	50	+2% above national
50	Madison, WI	$52,530	60	same as national
51	North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	$52,470	80	same as national
52	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	$52,360	80	same as national
53	Reading, PA	$51,960	40	1% below national
54	Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$51,850	100	1% below national
55	Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$51,820	280	1% below national
56	Birmingham, AL	$51,730	220	1% below national
57	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$51,650	410	1% below national
58	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$51,610	680	1% below national
59	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$51,610	140	1% below national
60	Modesto, CA	$51,560	40	2% below national
61	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$51,220	50	2% below national
62	Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$51,110	70	2% below national
63	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$51,080	270	2% below national
64	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$50,860	1,200	3% below national
65	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$50,630	430	3% below national
66	Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$50,530	100	4% below national
67	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC	$50,530	60	4% below national
68	Pittsburgh, PA	$50,390	510	4% below national
69	Montgomery, AL	$50,240	60	4% below national
70	Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$50,060	40	4% below national
71	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$49,920	110	5% below national
72	Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area	$49,810	30	5% below national
73	Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area	$49,360	30	6% below national
74	Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area	$49,300	60	6% below national
75	Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area	$49,150	40	6% below national
76	Jacksonville, FL	$49,050	370	6% below national
77	Knoxville, TN	$48,930	70	7% below national
78	Fresno, CA	$48,880	80	7% below national
79	Gainesville, FL	$48,870	40	7% below national
80	Western Washington nonmetropolitan area	$48,840	30	7% below national
81	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$48,600	70	7% below national
82	Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	$48,600	40	7% below national
83	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$48,430	50	8% below national
84	Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL	$48,380	40	8% below national
85	Port St. Lucie, FL	$48,380	40	8% below national
86	Boise City, ID	$48,170	200	8% below national
87	North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area	$48,160	70	8% below national
88	Corpus Christi, TX	$48,120	50	8% below national
89	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	$48,120	60	8% below national
90	Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$47,860	90	9% below national
91	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$47,860	670	9% below national
92	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$47,790	160	9% below national
93	West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area	$47,790	N/A	9% below national
94	Baton Rouge, LA	$47,700	200	9% below national
95	Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$47,550	340	9% below national
96	South Georgia nonmetropolitan area	$47,500	40	9% below national
97	Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$47,430	200	9% below national
98	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$47,060	40	10% below national
99	Ocala, FL	$47,020	40	10% below national
100	Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA	$46,870	50	11% below national
101	Charleston, WV	$46,820	40	11% below national
102	Columbus, OH	$46,810	220	11% below national
103	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$46,610	200	11% below national
104	Columbia, SC	$46,580	90	11% below national
105	Springfield, MA	$46,570	30	11% below national
106	Fayetteville, NC	$46,510	50	11% below national
107	Savannah, GA	$46,500	50	11% below national
108	Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$46,390	70	11% below national
109	Kansas City, MO-KS	$46,390	180	11% below national
110	Chattanooga, TN-GA	$45,920	60	12% below national
111	Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	$45,900	60	12% below national
112	Colorado Springs, CO	$45,840	90	12% below national
113	Omaha, NE-IA	$45,710	50	13% below national
114	Visalia, CA	$45,710	60	13% below national
115	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	$45,510	110	13% below national
116	Evansville, IN	$45,400	40	13% below national
117	Lexington-Fayette, KY	$45,290	40	14% below national
118	Reno, NV	$45,020	50	14% below national
119	Worcester, MA	$45,020	40	14% below national
120	Fort Smith, AR-OK	$44,910	40	14% below national
121	Tallahassee, FL	$44,910	100	14% below national
122	Tulsa, OK	$44,870	110	14% below national
123	Tucson, AZ	$44,780	80	14% below national
124	Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	$44,630	120	15% below national
125	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$44,590	890	15% below national
126	Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area	$44,580	40	15% below national
127	St. Louis, MO-IL	$44,510	180	15% below national
128	Urban Honolulu, HI	$44,390	50	15% below national
129	Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area	$44,120	30	16% below national
130	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$43,920	40	16% below national
131	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$43,860	70	16% below national
132	Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$43,310	700	17% below national
133	Raleigh-Cary, NC	$43,230	110	17% below national
134	San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$43,180	170	18% below national
135	Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$43,100	N/A	18% below national
136	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$42,890	300	18% below national
137	Jackson, MS	$42,400	80	19% below national
138	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$42,340	400	19% below national
139	El Paso, TX	$42,100	100	20% below national
140	Lafayette, LA	$42,100	N/A	20% below national
141	Kansas nonmetropolitan area	$42,100	60	20% below national
142	North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous)	$42,020	30	20% below national
143	Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$41,700	50	20% below national
144	Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$41,500	60	21% below national
145	Wichita, KS	$41,450	70	21% below national
146	Winston-Salem, NC	$41,410	60	21% below national
147	Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	$41,370	30	21% below national
148	Lewiston-Auburn, ME	$41,250	N/A	21% below national
149	Gainesville, GA	$41,140	30	21% below national
150	St. George, UT	$41,080	40	22% below national
151	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$41,040	40	22% below national
152	Huntsville, AL	$40,900	40	22% below national
153	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	$40,900	70	22% below national
154	Springfield, MO	$40,900	60	22% below national
155	North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area	$40,900	30	22% below national
156	Oklahoma City, OK	$40,790	110	22% below national
157	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$40,220	60	23% below national
158	Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$40,130	40	23% below national
159	Greensboro-High Point, NC	$39,990	50	24% below national
160	Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$39,670	150	24% below national
161	Fort Wayne, IN	$39,620	40	24% below national
162	Lake Charles, LA	$39,520	30	25% below national
163	Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area	$39,520	30	25% below national
164	Lubbock, TX	$39,510	30	25% below national
165	Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$39,310	130	25% below national
166	Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area	$39,280	40	25% below national
167	Toledo, OH	$39,080	40	25% below national
168	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	$38,970	50	26% below national
169	Ann Arbor, MI	$38,810	30	26% below national
170	Killeen-Temple, TX	$38,490	40	27% below national
171	Mobile, AL	$38,490	40	27% below national
172	Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$38,280	40	27% below national
173	Columbus, GA-AL	$38,010	30	27% below national
174	Wilmington, NC	$37,680	70	28% below national
175	Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area	$37,230	30	29% below national
176	Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$36,550	40	30% below national

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