The average salary for a private detective in Arizona is around $61,030 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $61,030.
Wages typically start from $38,240 and go up to $92,160.
7% below national average Updated in 2025
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$44.31 per hour
$92,160 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$38.36 per hour
$79,790 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$29.34 per hour
$61,030 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$19.93 per hour
$41,450 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$18.38 per hour
$38,240 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Private detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $78,480 |
| Oregon | $76,480 |
| Connecticut | $75,010 |
| District of Columbia | $72,720 |
| Vermont | $67,910 |
| New Hampshire | $65,370 |
| Washington | $64,080 |
| California | $61,250 |
| Arizona | $61,030 |
| Illinois | $60,210 |
| New York | $59,140 |
| Utah | $57,910 |
| Minnesota | $57,880 |
| Virginia | $56,160 |
| Delaware | $55,710 |
| New Jersey | $54,710 |
| Rhode Island | $54,620 |
| Wyoming | $54,310 |
| Alaska | $53,440 |
| North Carolina | $52,890 |
| Texas | $51,810 |
| Nebraska | $51,750 |
| South Carolina | $51,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,200 |
| Maryland | $51,060 |
| Florida | $50,640 |
| Massachusetts | $50,240 |
| Tennessee | $49,360 |
| Colorado | $48,730 |
| Michigan | $48,650 |
| Idaho | $47,910 |
| Arkansas | $47,750 |
| Kentucky | $47,650 |
| Montana | $47,430 |
| Ohio | $47,200 |
| Alabama | $46,810 |
| West Virginia | $46,410 |
| Hawaii | $45,750 |
| Kansas | $45,260 |
| Georgia | $45,060 |
| South Dakota | $44,840 |
| North Dakota | $44,310 |
| Maine | $43,830 |
| Louisiana | $41,950 |
| Wisconsin | $41,850 |
| Indiana | $41,830 |
| Missouri | $41,600 |
| New Mexico | $41,600 |
| Iowa | $41,110 |
| Oklahoma | $39,680 |
| Mississippi | $39,060 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,090 |
How do private detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Private detectives earn about the same as related careers in Arizona. On average, they make less than clergy members but more than librarians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Clergy member salary | $62K |
| Drug and alcohol counselor salary | $65K |
| Paralegal salary | $62K |
| Social worker salary | $62K |
| Judicial law clerk salary | $60K |
| Private detective salary | $61K |
| Probation officer salary | $61K |
| Postal service worker salary | $62K |
| Postal service clerk salary | $62K |
| Librarian salary | $60K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)