Detective earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level detective earnings begin at:

$68.29 per hour

$142,040 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level detective earnings begin at:

$57.22 per hour

$119,020 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level detective earnings begin at:

$42.73 per hour

$88,880 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level detective earnings begin at:

$15.27 per hour

$31,750 per year

10th percentile

Starting level detective earnings begin at:

$13.93 per hour

$28,970 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Detective salary by state

State Name Average Salary
New Jersey $99,880
New York $99,630
Hawaii $99,580
Colorado $97,980
Massachusetts $97,980
Illinois $97,300
Connecticut $94,670
Virginia $93,520
Vermont $91,580
Arizona $91,350
Puerto Rico $88,880
Montana $83,640
Michigan $81,850
Wisconsin $81,850
Texas $81,170
New Hampshire $80,140
Iowa $78,710
Minnesota $78,670
Pennsylvania $78,540
Nevada $78,330
Rhode Island $78,330
West Virginia $78,250
Ohio $77,580
Delaware $77,480
New Mexico $77,480
Maine $76,910
North Dakota $76,730
Nebraska $73,550
Utah $69,010
Wyoming $68,730
Florida $67,930
Idaho $64,610
Kentucky $64,610
South Dakota $63,960
Alabama $62,380
Oklahoma $61,190
Tennessee $61,190
Indiana $60,850
Georgia $60,550
Missouri $60,520
Kansas $60,500
Louisiana $57,660
North Carolina $55,910
South Carolina $51,770
Mississippi $48,040
Arkansas $47,580
District of Columbia $133,930
Alaska $133,600
Maryland $113,360
California $104,060
Washington $101,860
Oregon $100,330

How do detective salaries compare to similar careers?

Detectives earn about the same as related careers in Puerto Rico. On average, they make less than hearing officers but more than lawyers.

Career Median Salary
Hearing officer salary $65K
Customs inspector salary $89K
Special agent salary $89K
Detective salary $89K
Compliance manager salary $62K
Lawyer salary $59K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)