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