The average salary for a private detective in Texas is around $51,810 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $51,810.
Wages typically start from $35,650 and go up to $99,930.
16% below national average Updated in 2025
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$48.05 per hour
$99,930 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$34.93 per hour
$72,660 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$24.91 per hour
$51,810 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$17.70 per hour
$36,810 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$17.14 per hour
$35,650 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 Texas. On average, they make less than postal service clerks but more than estheticians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Postal service clerk salary | $63K |
| Postal service worker salary | $63K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $60K |
| Firefighter salary | $60K |
| Bailiff salary | $60K |
| Private detective salary | $52K |
| Probation officer salary | $53K |
| American sign language interpreter salary | $48K |
| Piano tuner salary | $48K |
| Esthetician salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)