The average salary for a private detective in Illinois is around $72,840 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $72,840.
Wages typically start from $40,380 and go up to $98,070.
1% above national average Updated in 2021
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$47.15 per hour
$98,070 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$42.46 per hour
$88,320 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$35.02 per hour
$72,840 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$24.68 per hour
$51,340 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$19.42 per hour
$40,380 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Private detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | $80,880 |
| Nevada | $78,480 |
| Colorado | $78,420 |
| Missouri | $77,030 |
| Oregon | $76,920 |
| Nebraska | $76,610 |
| Illinois | $72,840 |
| North Carolina | $69,520 |
| Virginia | $66,200 |
| Minnesota | $65,870 |
| New Hampshire | $64,700 |
| Washington | $64,700 |
| Connecticut | $64,360 |
| Montana | $63,840 |
| Alabama | $63,590 |
| District of Columbia | $63,170 |
| Rhode Island | $63,090 |
| Massachusetts | $63,050 |
| California | $63,010 |
| Alaska | $62,130 |
| New York | $61,590 |
| New Mexico | $61,310 |
| South Dakota | $60,460 |
| Hawaii | $59,610 |
| Florida | $58,200 |
| Maine | $55,670 |
| Iowa | $53,050 |
| Texas | $52,540 |
| Kansas | $52,390 |
| Maryland | $51,060 |
| Arizona | $50,710 |
| Michigan | $50,550 |
| Georgia | $50,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,530 |
| Tennessee | $49,810 |
| Utah | $49,650 |
| Idaho | $49,260 |
| Ohio | $48,770 |
| Louisiana | $48,320 |
| South Carolina | $47,960 |
| West Virginia | $47,960 |
| Wisconsin | $47,600 |
| Indiana | $47,040 |
| Kentucky | $45,330 |
| Delaware | $44,550 |
| New Jersey | $42,210 |
| Oklahoma | $39,550 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,090 |
| Mississippi | $31,820 |
How do private detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Private detectives earn about the same as related careers in Illinois. On average, they make less than police officers but more than funeral directors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Police officer salary | $83K |
| Transit police officer salary | $77K |
| Fish and game warden salary | $78K |
| Coroner salary | $76K |
| Judicial law clerk salary | $63K |
| Private detective salary | $73K |
| Social worker salary | $71K |
| Probation officer salary | $62K |
| Correctional officer salary | $61K |
| Funeral director salary | $49K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)