Private Detectives and Investigators Wages
SOC 33-9021 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators is $49,540 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $36,060 and the 90th percentile is $96,600, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
34,600
P10
$36,060
P25
$40,130
Median
$49,540
P75
$74,830
P90
$96,600
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Private Detectives and Investigators have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $49,540 | $60,270 | $36,060 | $96,600 | 34,600 | — |
| 2022 | $52,120 | $59,400 | $33,710 | $92,660 | 32,050 | +5.21% |
| 2021 | $59,380 | $60,970 | $32,130 | $98,070 | 28,860 | +13.93% |
| 2020 | $53,320 | $60,100 | $31,440 | $96,950 | 32,200 | -10.21% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Private Detectives and Investigators. The highest median is in Oregon at $72,590, 47% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $72,590 | +46.5% | $72,660 | 470 |
| Connecticut | $69,680 | +40.7% | $65,930 | 340 |
| Washington | $65,500 | +32.2% | $78,320 | 720 |
| Rhode Island | $64,580 | +30.4% | $65,140 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $62,620 | +26.4% | $66,560 | 730 |
| Arizona | $62,420 | +26% | $66,800 | 900 |
| Hawaii | $62,090 | +25.3% | $68,190 | 50 |
| Illinois | $60,940 | +23% | $66,290 | 1,910 |
| North Carolina | $60,940 | +23% | $66,820 | 840 |
| District of Columbia | $60,690 | +22.5% | $61,370 | — |
| Virginia | $59,690 | +20.5% | $71,340 | 610 |
| New York | $59,670 | +20.4% | $71,560 | 1,510 |
| Maryland | $58,040 | +17.2% | $63,370 | 600 |
| Massachusetts | $57,920 | +16.9% | $64,150 | 630 |
| Alaska | $57,450 | +16% | $66,220 | 50 |
| Colorado | $56,200 | +13.4% | $58,460 | 680 |
| California | $56,010 | +13.1% | $63,880 | 4,290 |
| Ohio | $53,190 | +7.4% | $55,170 | 1,490 |
| Florida | $50,630 | +2.2% | $61,930 | 3,620 |
| Georgia | $50,560 | +2.1% | $63,030 | 830 |
| Texas | $49,740 | +0.4% | $58,120 | 2,760 |
| Nebraska | $49,280 | -0.5% | $58,850 | 100 |
| Alabama | $48,710 | -1.7% | $53,190 | 460 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,740 | -3.6% | $60,550 | 1,240 |
| Wisconsin | $47,700 | -3.7% | $53,850 | 360 |
| Michigan | $47,690 | -3.7% | $54,660 | 980 |
| New Hampshire | $47,050 | -5% | $51,390 | 230 |
| South Dakota | $46,840 | -5.5% | $51,790 | 60 |
| Iowa | $46,500 | -6.1% | $53,200 | 150 |
| New Jersey | $46,410 | -6.3% | $58,670 | 1,010 |
| Maine | $46,380 | -6.4% | $48,640 | 290 |
| Delaware | $45,700 | -7.8% | $50,490 | 110 |
| South Carolina | $45,370 | -8.4% | $52,470 | 360 |
| Utah | $45,360 | -8.4% | $52,020 | 520 |
| Kentucky | $45,320 | -8.5% | $49,380 | 510 |
| Montana | $45,100 | -9% | $52,180 | 60 |
| Missouri | $44,990 | -9.2% | $55,960 | 430 |
| Idaho | $44,890 | -9.4% | $42,430 | 390 |
| Tennessee | $44,760 | -9.6% | $54,400 | 830 |
| Indiana | $43,680 | -11.8% | $50,620 | 570 |
| Vermont | $43,140 | -12.9% | $49,490 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $43,070 | -13.1% | $47,000 | 880 |
| Arkansas | $42,850 | -13.5% | $58,430 | 240 |
| New Mexico | $41,910 | -15.4% | $49,740 | 150 |
| West Virginia | $40,190 | -18.9% | $46,130 | 190 |
| Nevada | $40,130 | -19% | $50,050 | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $39,750 | -19.8% | $46,420 | 290 |
| North Dakota | $39,520 | -20.2% | $40,800 | 50 |
| Kansas | $37,100 | -25.1% | $42,000 | 210 |
| Mississippi | $36,340 | -26.6% | $44,350 | 310 |