The average salary for a private detective in Missouri is around $41,600 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $41,600.
Wages typically start from $33,660 and go up to $67,720.
28% below national average Updated in 2025
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$32.56 per hour
$67,720 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$24.94 per hour
$51,880 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$20.00 per hour
$41,600 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$18.02 per hour
$37,480 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$16.18 per hour
$33,660 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 Missouri. On average, they make less than funeral directors but more than customer service representatives.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Funeral director salary | $43K |
| Family social worker salary | $49K |
| Financial clerk salary | $48K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $47K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $47K |
| Private detective salary | $42K |
| Probation officer salary | $47K |
| Travel agent salary | $45K |
| Legal secretary salary | $39K |
| Customer service representative salary | $44K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)