SOC 33-3021 · Protective Service Occupations
Detectives and Criminal Investigators wages by metro
National median annual wage
$93,790
- 10th percentile
- $55,390
- 25th percentile
- $69,330
- Median
- $93,790
- 75th percentile
- $120,520
- 90th percentile
- $160,540
- Mean
- $99,430
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 114,430.
That median is 84% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
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Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 280 | $100,510 | $158,640 | $188,120 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | 240 | $70,550 | $158,060 | $176,400 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,830 | $90,310 | $156,750 | $195,190 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 70 | $80,790 | $153,570 | $195,190 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 350 | $96,470 | $140,750 | $165,030 |
| Great Falls, MT | 40 | $67,200 | $136,120 | $167,110 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 60 | $86,320 | $133,100 | $156,730 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 40 | $74,810 | $130,810 | $174,030 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 490 | $77,160 | $128,440 | $189,970 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,240 | $82,510 | $127,890 | $174,030 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,510 | $83,230 | $127,420 | $159,150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 690 | $96,030 | $126,700 | $195,190 |
| Anchorage, AK | 90 | $72,180 | $125,240 | $183,680 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2,990 | $77,790 | $124,840 | $167,110 |
| El Centro, CA | 770 | $73,610 | $123,970 | $130,850 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 740 | $88,790 | $123,820 | $177,650 |
| Bellingham, WA | 260 | $106,250 | $122,840 | $177,650 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 50 | $88,710 | $121,100 | $162,840 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 310 | $90,390 | $119,350 | $170,310 |
| Roanoke, VA | 130 | $63,890 | $114,050 | $158,060 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,580 | $62,130 | $106,440 | $175,930 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 4,830 | $90,310 | $156,750 | $195,190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,240 | $82,510 | $127,890 | $174,030 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 3,070 | $45,770 | $69,900 | $139,300 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2,990 | $77,790 | $124,840 | $167,110 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,290 | $57,300 | $102,260 | $171,790 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,160 | $74,030 | $97,580 | $159,660 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,110 | $60,580 | $99,080 | $173,010 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,870 | $54,630 | $86,390 | $187,350 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,830 | $50,870 | $86,110 | $176,610 |
| El Paso, TX | 1,790 | $56,620 | $109,300 | $140,500 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,710 | $48,840 | $78,970 | $114,790 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,670 | $52,440 | $83,830 | $138,110 |
| Tucson, AZ | 1,620 | $60,500 | $105,350 | $147,640 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 1,600 | $49,730 | $103,380 | $115,210 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,570 | $67,790 | $109,500 | $156,640 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,510 | $83,230 | $127,420 | $159,150 |
| Laredo, TX | 1,410 | $58,800 | $98,180 | $116,580 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,230 | $78,870 | $113,340 | $171,350 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,230 | $60,110 | $85,300 | $126,050 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 2,980 | $94,220 | $160,760 | $195,190 |
| Maryland | 1,010 | $71,200 | $126,730 | $188,700 |
| California | 12,610 | $78,280 | $124,840 | $165,510 |
| Delaware | 140 | $65,830 | $122,050 | $164,510 |
| New Jersey | 3,080 | $73,100 | $116,300 | $165,570 |
| Washington | 1,850 | $84,500 | $115,790 | $162,860 |
| Alaska | 140 | $79,680 | $114,940 | $183,680 |
| Hawaii | 440 | $92,520 | $113,940 | $165,030 |
| Virginia | 3,180 | $62,730 | $112,760 | $195,190 |
| Massachusetts | 1,300 | $76,150 | $110,150 | $179,030 |
| Oregon | 520 | $81,990 | $107,450 | $158,060 |
| Vermont | 190 | $65,690 | $106,330 | $153,670 |
| Colorado | 1,930 | $73,010 | $105,480 | $161,550 |
| Arizona | 5,250 | $60,590 | $102,340 | $142,380 |
| New York | 9,600 | $62,130 | $101,240 | $166,800 |
| Nebraska | 290 | $68,900 | $100,530 | $155,210 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,370 | $63,770 | $97,580 | $154,360 |
| Connecticut | 940 | $78,990 | $95,240 | $130,540 |
| Nevada | 590 | $60,920 | $94,470 | $152,480 |
| Montana | 500 | $58,670 | $92,410 | $144,000 |
| West Virginia | 220 | $48,450 | $92,410 | $171,250 |
| Illinois | 3,270 | $53,960 | $91,190 | $157,060 |
| Wisconsin | 1,640 | $70,060 | $91,040 | $103,130 |
| Michigan | 2,220 | $71,590 | $90,650 | $164,670 |
| Texas | 18,870 | $52,510 | $90,510 | $132,850 |
| New Hampshire | 290 | $74,690 | $89,290 | $174,050 |
| Rhode Island | 360 | $75,910 | $88,450 | $159,140 |
| Maine | 550 | $63,290 | $88,310 | $120,430 |
| New Mexico | 2,020 | $47,480 | $86,840 | $111,970 |
| North Dakota | 420 | $58,350 | $82,290 | $129,230 |
| Wyoming | 170 | $62,230 | $81,880 | $149,280 |
| Oklahoma | 1,220 | $51,420 | $80,430 | $136,120 |
| Minnesota | 1,970 | $59,710 | $80,000 | $115,210 |
| Iowa | 410 | $58,930 | $79,560 | $141,650 |
| Ohio | 2,140 | $56,840 | $79,300 | $151,200 |
| Utah | 550 | $48,040 | $78,920 | $149,280 |
| South Dakota | 250 | $60,210 | $77,730 | $149,280 |
| Tennessee | 1,860 | $49,660 | $77,090 | $149,280 |
| Florida | 6,440 | $50,050 | $77,060 | $162,450 |
| Kansas | 1,060 | $49,610 | $75,740 | $114,030 |
| Missouri | 1,600 | $49,190 | $75,650 | $151,720 |
| Idaho | 630 | $53,120 | $72,520 | $125,550 |
| Kentucky | 720 | $51,640 | $71,670 | $149,280 |
| Puerto Rico | 620 | $38,020 | $70,760 | $153,670 |
| Indiana | 1,280 | $45,480 | $70,340 | $127,790 |
| Alabama | 1,340 | $43,060 | $66,290 | $150,780 |
| Georgia | 5,070 | $46,790 | $65,430 | $149,030 |
| North Carolina | 3,360 | $50,260 | $63,280 | $137,550 |
| South Carolina | 1,470 | $50,960 | $62,760 | $149,280 |
| Louisiana | 1,740 | $39,020 | $60,450 | $131,730 |
| Mississippi | 810 | $41,260 | $58,640 | $136,120 |
| Arkansas | 560 | $41,380 | $54,500 | $144,890 |
Other protective service occupations
- Security Guards
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- Firefighters
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Detectives and Criminal Investigators?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Detectives and Criminal Investigators is $93,790. Employment is 114,430.
How does Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Detectives and Criminal Investigators is 84% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Detectives and Criminal Investigators?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is highest on this page's list at $158,640.