Detective Salary - CareerExplorer

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The average salary for a detective in the United States is around $54,990 per year.

Show average hourly wage

Detectives earn an average yearly salary of $54,990. Wages typically start from $30,586 and go up to $98,867.

8% below national average Updated in 2023

In this article:

  1. How much does a detective make in the United States?
  2. How do detective salaries compare to similar careers

Detective earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level detective earnings begin at:

$47.53 per hour

$98,867 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level detective earnings begin at:

$36.00 per hour

$74,881 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level detective earnings begin at:

$26.44 per hour

$54,990 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level detective earnings begin at:

$19.41 per hour

$40,383 per year

10th percentile

Starting level detective earnings begin at:

$14.70 per hour

$30,586 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Detective salary by state

State Name Average Salary
New Jersey $99,880
New York $99,630
Hawaii $99,580
Colorado $97,980
Massachusetts $97,980
Illinois $97,300
Connecticut $94,670
Virginia $93,520
Vermont $91,580
Arizona $91,350
Puerto Rico $88,880
Montana $83,640
Michigan $81,850
Wisconsin $81,850
Texas $81,170
New Hampshire $80,140
Iowa $78,710
Minnesota $78,670
Pennsylvania $78,540
Nevada $78,330
Rhode Island $78,330
West Virginia $78,250
Ohio $77,580
Delaware $77,480
New Mexico $77,480
Maine $76,910
North Dakota $76,730
Nebraska $73,550
Utah $69,010
Wyoming $68,730
Florida $67,930
Idaho $64,610
Kentucky $64,610
South Dakota $63,960
Alabama $62,380
Oklahoma $61,190
Tennessee $61,190
Indiana $60,850
Georgia $60,550
Missouri $60,520
Kansas $60,500
Louisiana $57,660
North Carolina $55,910
South Carolina $51,770
Mississippi $48,040
Arkansas $47,580
District of Columbia $133,930
Alaska $133,600
Maryland $113,360
California $104,060
Washington $101,860
Oregon $100,330

How do detective salaries compare to similar careers?

Detectives earn 11% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than customs inspectors but more than precious metal workers.

Career Median Salary
Customs inspector salary $88K
Compliance manager salary $83K
Coroner salary $76K
Fire inspector salary $62K
Police officer salary $58K
Detective salary $55K
Private detective salary $58K
Bailiff salary $53K
Arbitrator salary $49K
Precious metal worker salary $50K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)

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