What are the main factors that influence a Detective Investigator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Detective Investigator's salary?

A Detective Investigator's salary grows with experience: a Detective Investigator (0-0 years)earns $75,239, a Police Sergeant (0-5 years)earns $82,764, a Police Lieutenant (5+ years)earns $106,244, a Sheriff/Police Chief (5-10 years)earns $129,321,

What are the highest paying states for a Detective Investigator?

Detective Investigator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Detective Investigator roles are District of Columbia $81,436, California $81,127, Massachusetts $80,045. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Detective Investigator roles make?

Salaries for Detective Investigator level roles vary by specialization: Homicide Detective: $89,583; Detective Sergeant: $81,933; Forensic Detective: $67,506; Detective Or Criminal Investigator: $65,237; Pet Detective: $55,338.

How do different companies affect a Detective Investigator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Detective Investigator roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Detective Investigator Salary in the United States

How much does a Detective Investigator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Detective Investigator in the United States is $73,551 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

However, a Detective Investigator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $92,233
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $65,446 to $83,330
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,067

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Detective Investigator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$83,330	$6,944	$1,602	$40
Average	$73,551	$6,129	$1,414	$35
25th Percentile	$65,446	$5,454	$1,259	$31

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Key Factors That Influence Detective Investigator Salaries

A Detective Investigator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Detective Investigator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Detective Investigators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $81,436.
California: $81,127.
Massachusetts: $80,045.

District of Columbia $81,436 California $81,127 Massachusetts $80,045 Washington $79,751 New Jersey $79,722 Alaska $79,619 Connecticut $78,604 New York $78,192

Hawaii $76,875 Rhode Island $76,258 Maryland $75,838 Minnesota $75,265 Colorado $75,044 Illinois $74,970 Oregon $74,691 Delaware $74,485

New Hampshire $74,356 Virginia $74,066 Pennsylvania $73,220 Nevada $72,793 North Dakota $72,654 Michigan $72,433 Wisconsin $72,352 Vermont $72,190

Texas $71,742 Maine $71,712 Arizona $71,668 Ohio $71,617 Georgia $70,940 Indiana $70,602 Wyoming $70,535 Utah $70,432

Iowa $70,388 Kansas $70,035 Louisiana $69,932 North Carolina $69,895 Missouri $69,881 Florida $69,594 Montana $69,439 Nebraska $69,292

Kentucky $69,211 South Carolina $68,917 Tennessee $68,733 Idaho $68,660 New Mexico $68,123 Oklahoma $68,005 Alabama $67,571 South Dakota $66,843

Arkansas $66,446 West Virginia $66,233 Mississippi $65,593

Top Paying Cities for Detective Investigators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $92,770
San Francisco: $91,858
Oakland: $89,820

San Jose, CA $92,770

San Francisco, CA $91,858

Oakland, CA $89,820

New York, NY $85,238

Queens Village, NY $84,687

Paramus, NJ $84,098

Passaic, NJ $84,025

Bergenfield, NJ $83,951

Stamford, CT $83,841

Huntington, NY $83,767

Newark, NJ $83,289

Bridgeport, CT $83,142

New Brunswick, NJ $82,899

Vallejo, CA $82,745

Middlesex, NJ $82,701

Somerset, NJ $82,634

Petaluma, CA $82,465

Santa Cruz, CA $82,178

Boston, MA $82,031

Monterey, CA $81,664

Fairbanks, AK $81,612

Los Angeles, CA $81,472

Washington, DC $81,436

Seattle, WA $81,303

Santa Rosa, CA $81,288

Juneau, AK $81,075

Orange, CA $80,832

Anchorage, AK $80,700

Anaheim, CA $80,649

Santa Ana, CA $80,538

Nassau, NY $80,494

Long Beach, CA $80,465

Danbury, CT $80,443

Santa Maria, CA $80,193

Everett, WA $80,178

Bremerton, WA $79,817

Trenton, NJ $79,678

Sacramento, CA $79,648

San Diego, CA $79,611

Brockton, MA $79,582

Tacoma, WA $79,553

Santa Barbara, CA $79,450

Lowell, MA $79,155

New Suffolk, NY $79,126

Nashua, NH $79,038

Lompoc, CA $78,920

Ventura, CA $78,847

Stockton, CA $78,824

New Haven, CT $78,677

Atlantic City, NJ $78,486

Hartford, CT $78,324

Modesto, CA $78,288

Poughkeepsie, NY $78,126

New Britain, CT $78,089

Olympia, WA $77,986

Kennewick, WA $77,986

New London, CT $77,971

Norwich, CT $77,949

Lawrence, MA $77,912

Bakersfield, CA $77,707

Riverside, CA $77,604

New Bedford, MA $77,604

Richland, WA $77,530

Portsmouth, NH $77,471

Vineland, NJ $77,456

San Bernardino, CA $77,398

Boulder, CO $77,192

Worcester, MA $77,133

Portland, OR $77,067

Saint Paul, MN $76,978

Minneapolis, MN $76,978

Philadelphia, PA $76,875

Honolulu, HI $76,486

Springfield, MA $76,228

Providence, RI $76,221

Chicago, IL $76,008

Bellingham, WA $75,919

Baltimore, MD $75,838

Chico, CA $75,654

Wilmington, DE $75,529

Pittsfield, MA $75,456

Manchester, NH $75,316

Spokane, WA $74,992

Denver, CO $74,985

Albany, NY $74,639

Troy, NY $74,610

Schenectady, NY $74,456

Burlington, VT $74,294

Portland, ME $74,036

Salem, OR $73,977

Yakima, WA $73,963

Ann Arbor, MI $73,941

Rochester, MN $73,735

Fresno, CA $73,698

Reno, NV $73,698

Milwaukee, WI $73,632

Detroit, MI $73,558

Allentown, PA $73,536

Carson City, NV $73,529

Houston, TX $73,419

Colorado Springs, CO $73,411

Syracuse, NY $73,374

Eugene, OR $73,235

Bismarck, ND $73,146

Gary, IN $73,146

Galveston, TX $73,146

Springfield, OR $73,088

Medford, OR $72,911

Fort Collins, CO $72,882

Austin, TX $72,823

Mesa, AZ $72,668

Phoenix, AZ $72,654

Dallas, TX $72,632

Reading, PA $72,587

Saint Cloud, MN $72,558

Concord, NH $72,492

Madison, WI $72,462

Utica, NY $72,264

Raleigh, NC $72,205

Las Vegas, NV $72,198

Rochester, NY $72,146

Des Moines, IA $72,139

Atlanta, GA $72,021

Battle Creek, MI $71,999

Salt Lake City, UT $71,977

Lancaster, PA $71,867

Champaign, IL $71,852

Harrisburg, PA $71,764

Durham, NC $71,697

Kansas City, MO $71,690

Kansas City, KS $71,675

Fort Worth, TX $71,668

Boca Raton, FL $71,639

Cleveland, OH $71,631

Columbus, OH $71,617

Pittsburgh, PA $71,609

Richmond, VA $71,580

Indianapolis, IN $71,565

Cincinnati, OH $71,469

Petersburg, VA $71,359

Billings, MT $71,197

Lansing, MI $71,197

Huntsville, AL $71,197

Lebanon, PA $71,190

Dayton, OH $71,183

Pueblo, CO $71,183

Appleton, WI $71,160

Buffalo, NY $71,131

Racine, WI $71,094

Charlotte, NC $71,087

Saint Louis, MO $71,065

Springfield, IL $71,035

Elkhart, IN $71,021

York, PA $71,021

Gastonia, NC $71,013

Benton Harbor, MI $71,013

Beaumont, TX $70,969

Lorain, OH $70,955

Toledo, OH $70,925

Binghamton, NY $70,888

Rock Hill, SC $70,881

Rockford, IL $70,844

Fargo, ND $70,807

Elyria, OH $70,807

Flagstaff, AZ $70,756

Fort Lauderdale, FL $70,712

Miami, FL $70,668

Duluth, MN $70,550

Bangor, ME $70,454

Cedar Rapids, IA $70,374

Louisville, KY $70,337

Grand Rapids, MI $70,322

Hialeah, FL $70,315

Casper, WY $70,212

Scranton, PA $70,123

New Orleans, LA $70,101

Virginia Beach, VA $70,094

Akron, OH $70,057

Peoria, IL $69,962

Sarasota, FL $69,947

Green Bay, WI $69,895

Baton Rouge, LA $69,859

Charleston, SC $69,844

Nashville, TN $69,822

Jamestown, NY $69,807

Davenport, IA $69,807

Tucson, AZ $69,770

Cheyenne, WY $69,748

Saint Petersburg, FL $69,726

Tampa, FL $69,712

Omaha, NE $69,697

Port Arthur, TX $69,667

Evansville, IN $69,667

Bradenton, FL $69,638

Santa Fe, NM $69,506

Orlando, FL $69,432

Clearwater, FL $69,351

Canton, OH $69,197

La Crosse, WI $69,197

Grand Forks, ND $69,175

Albuquerque, NM $69,153

Tulsa, OK $69,153

Newport News, VA $69,145

High Point, NC $69,123

Ogden, UT $69,094

Corpus Christi, TX $69,035

Laramie, WY $68,991

Norfolk, VA $68,991

Rock Island, IL $68,947

Saginaw, MI $68,932

Jacksonville, FL $68,925

Salisbury, NC $68,910

Memphis, TN $68,895

Moline, IL $68,858

Fort Myers, FL $68,836

Waterloo, IA $68,741

Spartanburg, SC $68,667

Lincoln, NE $68,630

Fort Wayne, IN $68,616

Birmingham, AL $68,535

Cedar Falls, IA $68,520

Provo, UT $68,513

Springfield, OH $68,505

San Antonio, TX $68,491

Greensboro, NC $68,461

South Bend, IN $68,454

Winston Salem, NC $68,446

Boise, ID $68,424

Savannah, GA $68,373

Muskegon, MI $68,241

Lima, OH $68,152

Lake Charles, LA $68,123

Anderson, IN $68,108

Lexington, KY $68,086

Augusta, GA $68,064

Greenville, SC $68,064

Wichita, KS $67,998

Tuscaloosa, AL $67,998

Columbia, SC $67,932

Bloomington, IN $67,748

Roanoke, VA $67,704

Asheville, NC $67,608

Knoxville, TN $67,483

Shreveport, LA $67,476

Wilmington, NC $67,380

Frankfort, KY $67,240

Oklahoma City, OK $67,189

Chillicothe, OH $67,159

Longview, TX $67,152

Topeka, KS $67,130

Mobile, AL $67,020

Terre Haute, IN $66,990

Erie, PA $66,983

Altoona, PA $66,946

Melbourne, FL $66,924

Amarillo, TX $66,895

Killeen, TX $66,872

Fayetteville, AR $66,814

Sioux Falls, SD $66,762

Chattanooga, TN $66,718

Idaho Falls, ID $66,711

Gainesville, FL $66,556

Portsmouth, OH $66,519

Little Rock, AR $66,505

Lynchburg, VA $66,505

Lafayette, LA $66,475

Youngstown, OH $66,475

Temple, TX $66,446

Daytona Beach, FL $66,431

Clarksville, TN $66,424

Pensacola, FL $66,416

Hopkinsville, KY $66,196

Charleston, WV $66,188

Florence, SC $66,152

Sioux City, IA $66,108

Macon, GA $65,894

Tallahassee, FL $65,887

Fayetteville, NC $65,872

Waco, TX $65,857

Wichita Falls, TX $65,857

Pine Bluff, AR $65,828

Vincennes, IN $65,688

Lubbock, TX $65,659

Great Falls, MT $65,615

Alamogordo, NM $65,607

Abilene, TX $65,549

Rapid City, SD $65,453

Monroe, LA $65,453

Albany, GA $65,409

Huntington, WV $65,401

Jackson, MS $65,394

Greenville, MS $65,387

Parkersburg, WV $65,313

Montgomery, AL $65,298

Johnstown, PA $65,284

Springfield, MO $65,225

Biloxi, MS $65,188

Sumter, SC $65,034

Columbus, GA $65,026

Twin Falls, ID $64,982

Pascagoula, MS $64,887

Kingsport, TN $64,695

Gulfport, MS $64,673

Alexandria, LA $64,431

Fort Smith, AR $64,247

El Paso, TX $64,048

Helena, MT $63,953

Las Cruces, NM $63,717

Harlingen, TX $63,511

Pocatello, ID $63,445

Florence, AL $63,423

Brownsville, TX $63,408

Dothan, AL $63,291

Mcallen, TX $63,254

Columbus, MS $62,709

Altus, OK $62,371

Lawton, OK $62,231

Pierre, SD $61,967

What Skills Can Increase a Detective Investigator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 5.02% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Forensics (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): Forensics is a scientific tests or techniques used in connection with the detection of crime. Use of analytical and scientific techniques to examine evidence from crimes and prepare legal statements that summarize the results for court cases.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.35% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	5.02%
Forensics	2.98%
Microsoft Office	1.35%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Detective Investigator's salary.

Due Diligence: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Prioritization: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Due Diligence	$81,641	11%
Prioritization	$78,699	7%
Consulting	$77,964	6%
Cost Control	$77,964	6%
AML	$77,228	5%
Analysis	$76,493	4%

Get Latest Data

Detective Investigator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Detective Investigator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$65,446

Average $73,551/year

$83,330

$5,454

Average $6,129/month

$6,944

$1,259

Average $1,414/week

$1,602

$31

Average $35/hour

$40

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$83,330	$6,944	$1,602	$40
Average	$73,551	$6,129	$1,414	$35
25th Percentile	$65,446	$5,454	$1,259	$31

Salaries of jobs related to Detective Investigator

Salary Trends for Detective Investigator

Salaries for a Detective Investigator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $88,379 in 2023 to around $87,363 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Detective Investigator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Detective Investigator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$88,379

2024

$88,250

2025

$87,363

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$88,379
2024	$88,250
2025	$87,363
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Detective Investigator

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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