The average salary for a detective in South Dakota is around $77,730 per year.
Avg Salary
Detectives earn an average yearly salary of $77,730.
Wages typically start from $60,210 and go up to $149,280.
43% above national average Updated in 2025
Detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level detective earnings begin at:
$71.77 per hour
$149,280 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level detective earnings begin at:
$53.31 per hour
$110,880 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level detective earnings begin at:
$37.37 per hour
$77,730 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level detective earnings begin at:
$30.34 per hour
$63,110 per year
10th percentile
Starting level detective earnings begin at:
$28.95 per hour
$60,210 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $97,580 |
| Connecticut | $95,240 |
| Nevada | $94,470 |
| Montana | $92,410 |
| West Virginia | $92,410 |
| Illinois | $91,190 |
| Wisconsin | $91,040 |
| Michigan | $90,650 |
| Texas | $90,510 |
| New Hampshire | $89,290 |
| Puerto Rico | $88,880 |
| Rhode Island | $88,450 |
| Maine | $88,310 |
| New Mexico | $86,840 |
| North Dakota | $82,290 |
| Wyoming | $81,880 |
| Oklahoma | $80,430 |
| Minnesota | $80,000 |
| Iowa | $79,560 |
| Ohio | $79,300 |
| Utah | $78,920 |
| South Dakota | $77,730 |
| Tennessee | $77,090 |
| Florida | $77,060 |
| Kansas | $75,740 |
| Missouri | $75,650 |
| Idaho | $72,520 |
| Kentucky | $71,670 |
| Indiana | $70,340 |
| Alabama | $66,290 |
| Georgia | $65,430 |
| North Carolina | $63,280 |
| South Carolina | $62,760 |
| Louisiana | $60,450 |
| Mississippi | $58,640 |
| Arkansas | $54,500 |
| District of Columbia | $160,760 |
| Maryland | $126,730 |
| California | $124,840 |
| Delaware | $122,050 |
| New Jersey | $116,300 |
| Washington | $115,790 |
| Alaska | $114,940 |
| Hawaii | $113,940 |
| Virginia | $112,760 |
| Massachusetts | $110,150 |
| Oregon | $107,450 |
| Vermont | $106,330 |
| Colorado | $105,480 |
| Arizona | $102,340 |
| New York | $101,240 |
| Nebraska | $100,530 |
How do detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Detectives earn about the same as related careers in South Dakota. On average, they make less than compliance managers but more than court reporters.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Compliance manager salary | $119K |
| Social worker salary | $94K |
| Special agent salary | $78K |
| Detective salary | $78K |
| Customs inspector salary | $78K |
| Coroner salary | $73K |
| Court reporter salary | $75K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)