Private Detectives and Investigator salary
51,220 USD
Median annual wage · 2025 · BLS · 33-9021
Half of all private detectives and investigators in the United States earn more than 51,220 USD a year, half earn less.
Rank by pay526of 825 occupations
Spread, quartile to quartile1.82×40,700 USD – 73,990 USD
| Measure | All |
|---|---|
| Lower quartile | 40,700 USD |
| Median | 51,220 USD |
| Mean | 60,150 USD |
| Upper quartile | 73,990 USD |
About the figure
Occupation code 33-9021 in SOC 2018, the US occupation classification. Covers wage and salary workers, excluding the self-employed. Published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not estimated by us. The figure is an annual wage, not a monthly one.
Occupations that pay about the same
- Semiconductor Processing Technicians 51,430 USD
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters 51,330 USD
- Locksmiths and Safe Repairers 51,320 USD
- Medical Records Specialists 51,140 USD
- Animal Breeders 51,130 USD
- Proofreaders and Copy Markers 51,120 USD
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Figures are for 2025; snapshot taken 2026-08-15. www.bls.gov