Based on available salary data, Washington State offers the highest average compensation for Child Protective Services (CPS) investigators in the United States. This is due to factors such as higher cost of living, state funding priorities, and demand for child welfare professionals. Following Washington, the District of Columbia and New York State also provide competitive salaries that are above the national average, reflecting the importance placed on child welfare services in these regions. Overall, these states tend to have more robust child protective services programs and allocate greater resources toward investigator salaries to attract qualified professionals. Therefore, if you are seeking the highest-paying opportunities in CPS, Washington State is currently the top choice, with other high-paying states including D.C. and New York.