33 Series · SOC 33-9021
Private Detectives and 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).
- $51,220
- Median / year
- -2.2%
- 2024→2025
- $97,630
- Top 10% earn
- +6%
- Growth '24–'34
- 35,580
- Estimated US jobs
Private Detectives and Investigators earn a median of $51,220 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $51,220, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,740 (10th percentile) to $97,630 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 35,580 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Oregon ($76,480).
The pay verdict
Private Detectives and Investigators earn a median of $51,220, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 36% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Protective Service, it ranks #16 of 24 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2034.
- $51,220
- Median annual wage
- Top 64%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #16 of 24
- in Protective Service
- 2.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Oregon at $76,480. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Private Detectives and Investigators moved from $50,510 in May 2019 to $51,220 in May 2025 (+1.4%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Private Detectives and Investigators sits -23.0 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Private Detectives and Investigators (SOC 33-9021) has a national median of $51,220 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,740 to $97,630, and the published mean is $60,150. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 35,580 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 50 state or territory areas and 164 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $52,370 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $51,220 in May 2025, a fall of $1,150 (-2.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 3,900 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. Oregon pays the highest state median at $76,480, which is +49% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Memphis, TN-MS-AR at $99,680. 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
$51,220
per year
Median Hourly
$24.62/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$60,150
average
Employment
35,580
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Private Detectives and Investigators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$51,220 Bottom 36% higher than 36% 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 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 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% |
$51,220 · 36th 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 Private Detectives and 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
+6%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
3,900
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+2,600
43,600 (2024) → 46,200 (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 Private Detectives and Investigators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.
- ▸ Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.
- ▸ Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.
- ▸ Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.
- ▸ Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.
- ▸ Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.
- ▸ Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.
- ▸ Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.
- ▸ Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras.
- ▸ Investigate companies' financial standings, or locate funds stolen by embezzlers, using accounting skills.
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
Private Detectives and 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 | $45,610 |
| 2016 | $48,190 |
| 2017 | $50,700 |
| 2018 | $50,090 |
| 2019 | $50,510 |
| 2020 | $53,320 |
| 2021 | $59,380 |
| 2022 | $52,120 |
| 2023 | $49,540 |
| 2024 | $52,370 |
| 2025 | $51,220 |
2015 median
$45,610
2025 median
$51,220
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$710 (+1.4%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+0.2%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $45,610 | First banked release | 30,460 |
| May 2016 | $48,190 | +5.7% | 28,490 |
| May 2017 | $50,700 | +5.2% | 30,980 |
| May 2018 | $50,090 | -1.2% | 30,990 |
| May 2019 | $50,510 | Classification break | 35,000 |
| May 2020 | $53,320 | +5.6% | 32,200 |
| May 2021 | $59,380 | +11.4% | 28,860 |
| May 2022 | $52,120 | -12.2% | 32,050 |
| May 2023 | $49,540 | -5.0% | 34,600 |
| May 2024 | $52,370 | +5.7% | 38,700 |
| May 2025 | $51,220 | -2.2% | 35,580 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $45,610 in May 2015 to $51,220 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +0.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 35,000 in May 2019 to 35,580 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 50 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $76,480 | +49% above national |
| 2 | Connecticut | $75,010 | +46% above national |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $72,720 | +42% above national |
| 4 | Vermont | $67,910 | +33% above national |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $65,370 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $64,080 | +25% above national |
| 7 | California | $61,250 | +20% above national |
| 8 | Arizona | $61,030 | +19% above national |
| 9 | Illinois | $60,210 | +18% above national |
| 10 | New York | $59,140 | +15% above national |
| 11 | Utah | $57,910 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Minnesota | $57,880 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Virginia | $56,160 | +10% above national |
| 14 | Delaware | $55,710 | +9% above national |
| 15 | New Jersey | $54,710 | +7% above national |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $54,620 | +7% above national |
| 17 | Wyoming | $54,310 | +6% above national |
| 18 | Alaska | $53,440 | +4% above national |
| 19 | North Carolina | $52,890 | +3% above national |
| 20 | Texas | $51,810 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Nebraska | $51,750 | +1% above national |
| 22 | South Carolina | $51,530 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $51,200 | same as national |
| 24 | Florida | $50,640 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $50,240 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Tennessee | $49,360 | 4% below national |
| 27 | Colorado | $48,730 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Michigan | $48,650 | 5% below national |
| 29 | Idaho | $47,910 | 6% below national |
| 30 | Arkansas | $47,750 | 7% below national |
| 31 | Kentucky | $47,650 | 7% below national |
| 32 | Montana | $47,430 | 7% below national |
| 33 | Ohio | $47,200 | 8% below national |
| 34 | Alabama | $46,810 | 9% below national |
| 35 | West Virginia | $46,410 | 9% below national |
| 36 | Hawaii | $45,750 | 11% below national |
| 37 | Kansas | $45,260 | 12% below national |
| 38 | Georgia | $45,060 | 12% below national |
| 39 | South Dakota | $44,840 | 12% below national |
| 40 | North Dakota | $44,310 | 13% below national |
| 41 | Maine | $43,830 | 14% below national |
| 42 | Puerto Rico | $42,190 | 18% below national |
| 43 | Louisiana | $41,950 | 18% below national |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $41,850 | 18% below national |
| 45 | Indiana | $41,830 | 18% below national |
| 46 | Missouri | $41,600 | 19% below national |
| 47 | New Mexico | $41,600 | 19% below national |
| 48 | Iowa | $41,110 | 20% below national |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $39,680 | 23% below national |
| 50 | Mississippi | $39,060 | 24% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 143 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $99,680 | +95% above national |
| 2 | Salem, OR | $81,070 | +58% above national |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $78,330 | +53% above national |
| 4 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $77,540 | +51% above national |
| 5 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $76,630 | +50% above national |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $75,670 | +48% above national |
| 7 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $73,430 | +43% above national |
| 8 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $70,780 | +38% above national |
| 9 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $70,220 | +37% above national |
| 10 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $70,190 | +37% above national |
| 11 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $70,150 | +37% above national |
| 12 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $68,310 | +33% above national |
| 13 | New Haven, CT | $65,030 | +27% above national |
| 14 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $64,400 | +26% above national |
| 15 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $64,080 | +25% above national |
| 16 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,060 | +25% above national |
| 17 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $63,940 | +25% above national |
| 18 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $62,520 | +22% above national |
| 19 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $62,300 | +22% above national |
| 20 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $61,680 | +20% above national |
| 21 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,460 | +20% above national |
| 22 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $61,460 | +20% above national |
| 23 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $60,910 | +19% above national |
| 24 | Corpus Christi, TX | $60,090 | +17% above national |
| 25 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $59,770 | +17% above national |
| 26 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $59,490 | +16% above national |
| 27 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $59,350 | +16% above national |
| 28 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $59,140 | +15% above national |
| 29 | Modesto, CA | $58,460 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $58,170 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $57,910 | +13% above national |
| 32 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $57,620 | +12% above national |
| 33 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $56,760 | +11% above national |
| 34 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $56,530 | +10% above national |
| 35 | Tallahassee, FL | $56,510 | +10% above national |
| 36 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $56,370 | +10% above national |
| 37 | Ogden, UT | $55,450 | +8% above national |
| 38 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $55,420 | +8% above national |
| 39 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $54,720 | +7% above national |
| 40 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $53,930 | +5% above national |
| 41 | Asheville, NC | $53,900 | +5% above national |
| 42 | Lincoln, NE | $53,800 | +5% above national |
| 43 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $53,680 | +5% above national |
| 44 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $53,610 | +5% above national |
| 45 | Richmond, VA | $52,430 | +2% above national |
| 46 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $52,000 | +2% above national |
| 47 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $51,950 | +1% above national |
| 48 | Columbus, OH | $51,780 | +1% above national |
| 49 | Gainesville, FL | $51,580 | +1% above national |
| 50 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $51,390 | same as national |
| 51 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $51,130 | same as national |
| 52 | Greenville, NC | $51,010 | same as national |
| 53 | Syracuse, NY | $50,730 | 1% below national |
| 54 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $50,710 | 1% below national |
| 55 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $50,540 | 1% below national |
| 56 | Rochester, NY | $50,510 | 1% below national |
| 57 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $50,220 | 2% below national |
| 58 | Reading, PA | $50,200 | 2% below national |
| 59 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $49,870 | 3% below national |
| 60 | Pittsburgh, PA | $49,810 | 3% below national |
| 61 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $49,740 | 3% below national |
| 62 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $49,420 | 4% below national |
| 63 | Birmingham, AL | $49,390 | 4% below national |
| 64 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $48,650 | 5% below national |
| 65 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $48,630 | 5% below national |
| 66 | Vallejo, CA | $48,600 | 5% below national |
| 67 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $48,510 | 5% below national |
| 68 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $48,430 | 5% below national |
| 69 | Evansville, IN | $48,280 | 6% below national |
| 70 | Jacksonville, FL | $48,060 | 6% below national |
| 71 | Columbia, SC | $48,000 | 6% below national |
| 72 | Visalia, CA | $47,970 | 6% below national |
| 73 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $47,960 | 6% below national |
| 74 | Mobile, AL | $47,770 | 7% below national |
| 75 | Boise City, ID | $47,690 | 7% below national |
| 76 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $47,690 | 7% below national |
| 77 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $47,360 | 8% below national |
| 78 | Montgomery, AL | $47,100 | 8% below national |
| 79 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $46,610 | 9% below national |
| 80 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,560 | 9% below national |
| 81 | Ocala, FL | $46,470 | 9% below national |
| 82 | Tyler, TX | $46,390 | 9% below national |
| 83 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $46,380 | 9% below national |
| 84 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $46,190 | 10% below national |
| 85 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $46,110 | 10% below national |
| 86 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $45,990 | 10% below national |
| 87 | Savannah, GA | $45,960 | 10% below national |
| 88 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $45,750 | 11% below national |
| 89 | Cleveland, OH | $45,660 | 11% below national |
| 90 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $45,440 | 11% below national |
| 91 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $45,390 | 11% below national |
| 92 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,080 | 12% below national |
| 93 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $44,890 | 12% below national |
| 94 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $44,820 | 12% below national |
| 95 | Baton Rouge, LA | $44,810 | 13% below national |
| 96 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,640 | 13% below national |
| 97 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $44,550 | 13% below national |
| 98 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $44,390 | 13% below national |
| 99 | Tulsa, OK | $44,340 | 13% below national |
| 100 | Omaha, NE-IA | $44,100 | 14% below national |
| 101 | Huntsville, AL | $43,950 | 14% below national |
| 102 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $43,890 | 14% below national |
| 103 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $43,740 | 15% below national |
| 104 | Fresno, CA | $43,590 | 15% below national |
| 105 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $43,500 | 15% below national |
| 106 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $43,420 | 15% below national |
| 107 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $43,230 | 16% below national |
| 108 | Knoxville, TN | $43,150 | 16% below national |
| 109 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $42,930 | 16% below national |
| 110 | Worcester, MA | $42,720 | 17% below national |
| 111 | Winston-Salem, NC | $42,660 | 17% below national |
| 112 | Madison, WI | $42,320 | 17% below national |
| 113 | Colorado Springs, CO | $42,140 | 18% below national |
| 114 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $42,140 | 18% below national |
| 115 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $41,930 | 18% below national |
| 116 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $41,850 | 18% below national |
| 117 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $41,690 | 19% below national |
| 118 | Albuquerque, NM | $41,680 | 19% below national |
| 119 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $41,630 | 19% below national |
| 120 | Tucson, AZ | $41,450 | 19% below national |
| 121 | Akron, OH | $41,420 | 19% below national |
| 122 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $41,330 | 19% below national |
| 123 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $41,110 | 20% below national |
| 124 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $39,960 | 22% below national |
| 125 | Lafayette, LA | $39,800 | 22% below national |
| 126 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $39,690 | 23% below national |
| 127 | Toledo, OH | $39,600 | 23% below national |
| 128 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $39,260 | 23% below national |
| 129 | Fort Wayne, IN | $39,220 | 23% below national |
| 130 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $39,060 | 24% below national |
| 131 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $38,750 | 24% below national |
| 132 | Springfield, MO | $38,690 | 24% below national |
| 133 | Fayetteville, NC | $38,500 | 25% below national |
| 134 | El Paso, TX | $38,070 | 26% below national |
| 135 | Wichita, KS | $37,940 | 26% below national |
| 136 | Jackson, MS | $37,920 | 26% below national |
| 137 | Oklahoma City, OK | $37,840 | 26% below national |
| 138 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $37,750 | 26% below national |
| 139 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $37,090 | 28% below national |
| 140 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $37,030 | 28% below national |
| 141 | Columbus, GA-AL | $36,750 | 28% below national |
| 142 | Lubbock, TX | $36,640 | 28% below national |
| 143 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $36,530 | 29% 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
Detectives and Criminal Investigators
SOC 33-3021
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 ($51,220 here) and reported employment (35,580 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
How much do Private Detectives and Investigators make? ▼
Where does Private Detectives and Investigators pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Private Detectives and Investigators the most? ▼
What education do Private Detectives and Investigators need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Private Detectives and Investigators? ▼
Is Private Detectives and Investigators a good career? ▼
How does Private Detectives and Investigators pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Private Detectives and Investigators? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Private Detectives and Investigators pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $73,990/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: Oregon leads at $76,480/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.