The average salary for a private detective in the United States is around $57,896 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $57,896.
Wages typically start from $42,143 and go up to $79,539.
10% below national average Updated in 2023
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$38.24 per hour
$79,539 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$32.90 per hour
$68,430 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$27.83 per hour
$57,896 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$23.55 per hour
$48,984 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$20.26 per hour
$42,143 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Private detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | $80,880 |
| Nevada | $78,480 |
| Colorado | $78,420 |
| Missouri | $77,030 |
| Oregon | $76,920 |
| Nebraska | $76,610 |
| Illinois | $72,840 |
| North Carolina | $69,520 |
| Virginia | $66,200 |
| Minnesota | $65,870 |
| New Hampshire | $64,700 |
| Washington | $64,700 |
| Connecticut | $64,360 |
| Montana | $63,840 |
| Alabama | $63,590 |
| District of Columbia | $63,170 |
| Rhode Island | $63,090 |
| Massachusetts | $63,050 |
| California | $63,010 |
| Alaska | $62,130 |
| New York | $61,590 |
| New Mexico | $61,310 |
| South Dakota | $60,460 |
| Hawaii | $59,610 |
| Florida | $58,200 |
| Maine | $55,670 |
| Iowa | $53,050 |
| Texas | $52,540 |
| Kansas | $52,390 |
| Maryland | $51,060 |
| Arizona | $50,710 |
| Michigan | $50,550 |
| Georgia | $50,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,530 |
| Tennessee | $49,810 |
| Utah | $49,650 |
| Idaho | $49,260 |
| Ohio | $48,770 |
| Louisiana | $48,320 |
| South Carolina | $47,960 |
| West Virginia | $47,960 |
| Wisconsin | $47,600 |
| Indiana | $47,040 |
| Kentucky | $45,330 |
| Delaware | $44,550 |
| New Jersey | $42,210 |
| Oklahoma | $39,550 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,090 |
| Mississippi | $31,820 |
How do private detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Private detectives earn 7% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than compliance managers but more than librarians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Librarian salary | $55K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)