Pet Detective Salary in the United States

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

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Pet Detective in the United States is $55,338 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $64,054
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $50,263 to $59,900
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45,644
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View as table View as graph 25% $50,263 10% $45,644 90% $64,054 75% $59,900 $55,338 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Pet Detective Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $59,900 $4,992 $1,152 $29
Average $55,338 $4,611 $1,064 $27
25th Percentile $50,263 $4,189 $967 $24
Check out Pet Detective Job Openings in the United States
Licensed Veterinary Technician

Pet Emergency Clinic & Referral Center - SPOKANE, WA

Veterinarian

Country Pet Hospital - ALPINE, CA

Associate Veterinarian Independant Clinic in Folsom CA

Pet Vets of Folsom - FOLSOM, CA

Veterinarian

Allure Integrated Pet Specialists - NEW BRAUNFELS, TX

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Key Factors That Influence Pet Detective Salaries

A Pet Detective'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Pet Detective Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Pet Detective's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $54,281
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $54,633
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $55,549
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $56,896
  • Expert (over 8 years): $58,541
Levels Salary
Entry Level Pet Detective$54,281
Intermediate Level Pet Detective$54,633
Senior Level Pet Detective$55,549
Specialist Level Pet Detective$56,896
Expert Level Pet Detective$58,541
$54,281 0 yr
$54,633 < 2 yrs
$55,549 2-4 yrs
$56,896 5-8 yrs
$58,541 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Pet Detective 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 Pet Detectives. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $61,270.
  • California: $61,037.
  • Massachusetts: $60,224.

Top Paying Cities for Pet Detectives

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: $69,797
  • San Francisco: $69,111
  • Oakland: $67,578

What Skills Can Increase a Pet Detective's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Flexibility (Mentioned in 4.27% Job Postings): Adapting, responding to, and dealing with the changing environment and new situations.
  • ATM (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): Ability to work with, troubleshoot and maintain automated teller machine to provide support to banking clients.
  • EHS (Mentioned in 1.52% Job Postings): Environment, health and safety, EHS is an acronym for the set that studies and implements the practical aspects of protecting the environment and maintaining health and safety at occupation.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Flexibility 4.27%
ATM 2.13%
EHS 1.52%
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 Pet Detective's salary.
  • Communicates Effectively: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Communicates Effectively
 $66,959
21%
Initiative
 $65,852
19%
Dedication
 $63,638
15%
Square
 $63,638
15%
Decision Making
 $61,425
11%
Communication Skills
 $60,871
10%
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How Education impacts a Pet Detective's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Pet Detectives enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Pet Detective with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $56,397 and $59,972).

Pet Detective Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Pet Detective
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 89.5%
High School 89.5%
Associates 5.3%
Bachelors 5.3%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Pet Detective Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Pet Detective'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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$50,263
Average $55,338/year
$59,900
$4,189
Average $4,611/month
$4,992
$967
Average $1,064/week
$1,152
$24
Average $27/hour
$29
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $59,900 $4,992 $1,152 $29
Average $55,338 $4,611 $1,064 $27
25th Percentile $50,263 $4,189 $967 $24

Salaries of jobs related to Pet Detective

Salary Trends for Pet Detective

Salaries for a Pet Detective can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $52,342 in 2023 to around $51,563 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Pet Detective salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Pet Detective Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$52,342
2024
$52,145
2025
$51,563
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $52,342
2024 $52,145
2025 $51,563
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Pet Detective

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Pet Detective

Here are companies hiring for Pet Detective and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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