Average Salary for Private Detectives and Investigators
SOC 33-9021 · Protective Service Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in the United States is $52,370 ($25.18/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $37,250 at the 10th percentile to $98,770 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 38,700 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 17.5% since 2014.
Median Annual
$52,370
Mean Annual
$61,680
10th Pct
$37,250
75th Pct
$75,310
Employment
38,700
Salary Distribution
$37k
10th
$42k
25th
$52k
Median
$75k
75th
$99k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | $80,060 |
| Salem, OR | $79,550 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $79,110 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $77,680 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $76,730 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $75,400 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $75,230 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $74,720 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $73,530 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $73,530 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $69,550 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $69,500 |
| Syracuse, NY | $69,120 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $68,330 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $67,520 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $77,320 |
| Maryland | $74,360 |
| Illinois | $73,070 |
| Minnesota | $72,070 |
| Connecticut | $68,290 |
| Wyoming | $67,360 |
| Vermont | $66,070 |
| Washington | $65,370 |
| Arizona | $64,960 |
| California | $60,210 |
| New York | $59,840 |
| Massachusetts | $57,840 |
| North Carolina | $55,190 |
| Alaska | $54,080 |
| South Carolina | $53,890 |
| Nebraska | $52,160 |
| New Hampshire | $51,990 |
| Rhode Island | $51,610 |
| New Jersey | $51,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,220 |
| Utah | $51,130 |
| Ohio | $50,060 |
| Colorado | $49,720 |
| Michigan | $49,700 |
| Delaware | $49,400 |
| Maine | $49,360 |
| Florida | $48,880 |
| Virginia | $48,740 |
| Idaho | $48,170 |
| Kentucky | $48,130 |
| Texas | $48,070 |
| Montana | $47,910 |
| Nevada | $47,550 |
| Alabama | $47,180 |
| West Virginia | $46,830 |
| Tennessee | $46,560 |
| North Dakota | $45,710 |
| Indiana | $45,400 |
| Iowa | $45,070 |
| Kansas | $45,020 |
| New Mexico | $44,870 |
| Georgia | $44,590 |
| Hawaii | $44,390 |
| Missouri | $43,780 |
| Louisiana | $43,390 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,360 |
| Arkansas | $43,310 |
| Wisconsin | $43,210 |
| Oklahoma | $40,470 |
| Mississippi | $39,460 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Private Detectives and Investigators broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $167,370 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $160,770 |
| Wholesale Trade | $109,080 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $109,080 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | $103,910 |
| Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers | $99,190 |
| Manufacturing | $96,930 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $96,570 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $96,570 |
| Legal Services | $89,540 |
| Telecommunications | $87,020 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | $85,810 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $85,810 |
| Office Administrative Services | $85,640 |
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | $85,600 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $83,090 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $82,020 |
| Rail Transportation | $80,080 |
| Rail Transportation | $80,080 |
| Insurance Carriers | $79,100 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $78,830 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $78,700 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $78,700 |
| Hospitals | $78,170 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $78,120 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $77,770 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $77,770 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $77,770 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $76,440 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | $76,390 |
| Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers | $74,960 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,910 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,810 |
| Utilities | $74,300 |
| Utilities | $74,300 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $74,300 |
| Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $74,300 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $74,260 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $74,260 |
| Finance and Insurance | $74,240 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities | $74,190 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $73,740 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $73,700 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $73,510 |
| Other Insurance Related Activities | $72,180 |
| Information | $72,140 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $71,620 |
| Educational Services | $68,540 |
| Facilities Support Services | $67,340 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) | $65,200 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | $64,950 |
| Educational Services | $64,940 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $63,760 |
| Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers | $63,290 |
| Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers | $63,290 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $59,840 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $59,840 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $59,840 |
| Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $58,440 |
| Temporary Help Services | $57,990 |
| Employment Services | $57,990 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $57,130 |
| Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services | $54,730 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $54,390 |
| Investigation and Security Services | $53,910 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $52,980 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $52,980 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $51,540 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $51,540 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $50,290 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $44,850 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $44,850 |
| General Merchandise Retailers | $42,510 |
| Retail Trade | $42,500 |
| Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers | $42,160 |
| Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers | $42,160 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $41,970 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $40,710 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $40,710 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $40,090 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | $40,090 |
| Other Personal Services | $38,880 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $38,880 |
| Business Support Services | $37,650 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $52,370 |
| 2023 | $49,540 |
| 2022 | $52,120 |
| 2021 | $59,380 |
| 2020 | $53,320 |
| 2019 | $50,510 |
| 2018 | $50,090 |
| 2017 | $50,700 |
| 2016 | $48,190 |
| 2015 | $45,610 |
| 2014 | $44,570 |