SOC 33-9021 · Protective Service Occupations
Private Detectives and Investigators wages by metro
National median annual wage
$51,220
- 10th percentile
- $36,740
- 25th percentile
- $40,700
- Median
- $51,220
- 75th percentile
- $73,990
- 90th percentile
- $97,630
- Mean
- $60,150
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 35,580.
That median is 0.5% 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.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 310 | $37,450 | $99,680 | $101,030 |
| Salem, OR | 180 | $57,170 | $81,070 | $93,620 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 270 | $45,090 | $78,330 | $112,080 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 150 | $37,970 | $77,540 | $95,990 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 50 | $37,460 | $76,630 | $89,070 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 430 | $45,510 | $75,670 | $115,180 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 860 | $39,370 | $73,430 | $99,090 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 100 | $42,350 | $70,780 | $124,150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 410 | $41,310 | $70,220 | $101,800 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 50 | $42,220 | $70,190 | $100,820 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 430 | $46,380 | $70,150 | $118,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 970 | $40,670 | $68,310 | $97,780 |
| New Haven, CT | 70 | $38,680 | $65,030 | $83,320 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 610 | $39,060 | $64,400 | $92,160 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 60 | $39,270 | $64,080 | $87,130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 190 | $46,000 | $64,060 | $130,350 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 30 | $39,640 | $63,940 | $95,260 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 40 | $42,940 | $62,520 | $96,180 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 790 | $40,450 | $62,300 | $117,930 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,520 | $43,200 | $61,680 | $102,230 |
Where employment is largest
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 610 | $44,610 | $76,480 | $97,500 |
| Connecticut | 400 | $38,300 | $75,010 | $95,790 |
| District of Columbia | Not available | $45,790 | $72,720 | $156,670 |
| Vermont | 90 | $41,860 | $67,910 | $95,830 |
| New Hampshire | 280 | $40,510 | $65,370 | $124,150 |
| Washington | 750 | $43,060 | $64,080 | $104,220 |
| California | 4,190 | $42,600 | $61,250 | $103,410 |
| Arizona | 790 | $38,240 | $61,030 | $92,160 |
| Illinois | 1,300 | $38,920 | $60,210 | $97,780 |
| New York | 1,300 | $40,940 | $59,140 | $103,610 |
| Utah | 350 | $38,690 | $57,910 | $89,900 |
| Minnesota | 600 | $40,520 | $57,880 | $101,360 |
| Virginia | 1,280 | $35,530 | $56,160 | $95,000 |
| Delaware | 110 | $40,400 | $55,710 | $80,700 |
| New Jersey | 410 | $39,980 | $54,710 | $103,750 |
| Rhode Island | 60 | $37,560 | $54,620 | $79,140 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $40,550 | $54,310 | $80,120 |
| Alaska | 70 | $39,620 | $53,440 | $105,970 |
| North Carolina | 1,710 | $36,600 | $52,890 | $98,560 |
| Texas | 3,220 | $35,650 | $51,810 | $99,930 |
| Nebraska | 160 | $38,950 | $51,750 | $89,480 |
| South Carolina | 620 | $37,000 | $51,530 | $93,740 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,220 | $38,380 | $51,200 | $91,470 |
| Florida | 3,660 | $35,990 | $50,640 | $85,830 |
| Massachusetts | 280 | $40,250 | $50,240 | $121,090 |
| Tennessee | 940 | $33,930 | $49,360 | $101,030 |
| Colorado | 540 | $41,110 | $48,730 | $86,430 |
| Michigan | 850 | $36,360 | $48,650 | $87,420 |
| Idaho | 210 | $39,520 | $47,910 | $69,710 |
| Arkansas | 370 | $35,990 | $47,750 | $107,930 |
| Kentucky | 350 | $37,340 | $47,650 | $70,150 |
| Montana | 70 | $39,900 | $47,430 | $73,190 |
| Ohio | 1,560 | $37,460 | $47,200 | $84,930 |
| Alabama | 530 | $35,990 | $46,810 | $61,420 |
| West Virginia | 170 | $35,990 | $46,410 | $78,560 |
| Hawaii | 70 | $41,830 | $45,750 | $83,050 |
| Kansas | 280 | $35,810 | $45,260 | $76,520 |
| Georgia | 1,460 | $36,570 | $45,060 | $96,680 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $40,050 | $44,840 | $49,560 |
| North Dakota | 60 | $32,710 | $44,310 | $61,320 |
| Maine | 210 | $36,550 | $43,830 | $67,230 |
| Puerto Rico | 120 | $21,840 | $42,190 | $47,430 |
| Louisiana | 860 | $35,000 | $41,950 | $67,690 |
| Wisconsin | 410 | $37,000 | $41,850 | $76,550 |
| Indiana | 480 | $36,500 | $41,830 | $77,000 |
| Missouri | 590 | $33,660 | $41,600 | $67,720 |
| New Mexico | Not available | $35,660 | $41,600 | $66,350 |
| Iowa | 170 | $36,920 | $41,110 | $64,080 |
| Oklahoma | 370 | $36,050 | $39,680 | $62,690 |
| Mississippi | 330 | $31,800 | $39,060 | $69,170 |
| Maryland | 560 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Nevada | 350 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
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
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Private Detectives and Investigators?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators is $51,220. Employment is 35,580.
How does Private Detectives and Investigators pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Private Detectives and Investigators is 0.5% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Private Detectives and Investigators?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Memphis, TN-MS-AR is highest on this page's list at $99,680.