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

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

How does experience change An Investigator's salary?

An Investigator's salary grows with experience: a Investigator (0-0 years)earns $75,292, a Police Sergeant (0-5 years)earns $82,796, a Police Lieutenant (5+ years)earns $106,258, a Sheriff/Police Chief (5-10 years)earns $129,392,

What are the highest paying states for an Investigator?

Investigator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Investigator roles are District of Columbia $84,277, California $83,957, Massachusetts $82,839. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Investigator roles make?

Salaries for Investigator level roles vary by specialization: Death Investigator: $324,313; Principal Investigator: $95,653; Legal Investigator: $93,103; Claims Investigator: $82,597; Criminal Investigator: $75,983.

How do different companies affect an Investigator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for 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.

Investigator Salary in the United States

How much does an Investigator make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for an Investigator in the United States is $76,117 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $97,575
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,435 to $87,349
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $61,441

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Investigator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$87,349	$7,279	$1,680	$42
Average	$76,117	$6,343	$1,464	$37
25th Percentile	$68,435	$5,703	$1,316	$33

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Investigator Salaries

An 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 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 Investigators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $84,277.
California: $83,957.
Massachusetts: $82,839.

District of Columbia $84,277 California $83,957 Massachusetts $82,839 Washington $82,534 New Jersey $82,504 Alaska $82,397 Connecticut $81,347 New York $80,920

Hawaii $79,558 Rhode Island $78,919 Maryland $78,485 Minnesota $77,891 Colorado $77,663 Illinois $77,586 Oregon $77,297 Delaware $77,084

New Hampshire $76,950 Virginia $76,650 Pennsylvania $75,775 Nevada $75,333 North Dakota $75,189 Michigan $74,960 Wisconsin $74,877 Vermont $74,709

Texas $74,245 Maine $74,214 Arizona $74,169 Ohio $74,116 Georgia $73,415 Indiana $73,065 Wyoming $72,997 Utah $72,890

Iowa $72,844 Kansas $72,479 Louisiana $72,372 North Carolina $72,334 Missouri $72,319 Florida $72,022 Montana $71,862 Nebraska $71,710

Kentucky $71,626 South Carolina $71,322 Tennessee $71,132 Idaho $71,056 New Mexico $70,500 Oklahoma $70,378 Alabama $69,929 South Dakota $69,175

Arkansas $68,764 West Virginia $68,544 Mississippi $67,881

Top Paying Cities for 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: $96,007
San Francisco: $94,956
Oakland: $92,955

San Jose, CA $96,007

San Francisco, CA $94,956

Oakland, CA $92,955

New York, NY $87,641

Paramus, NJ $86,575

Queens Village, NY $86,571

Passaic, NJ $86,499

Bergenfield, NJ $86,492

Stamford, CT $86,325

Huntington, NY $86,294

Newark, NJ $85,731

Bridgeport, CT $85,570

Vallejo, CA $85,419

New Brunswick, NJ $85,388

Petaluma, CA $85,343

Middlesex, NJ $85,198

Somerset, NJ $85,145

Santa Cruz, CA $85,046

Boston, MA $84,582

Monterey, CA $84,314

Seattle, WA $84,140

Santa Rosa, CA $84,125

Los Angeles, CA $84,102

Juneau, AK $83,904

Washington, DC $83,820

Orange, CA $83,550

Santa Ana, CA $83,349

Long Beach, CA $83,272

Anaheim, CA $83,257

Anchorage, AK $83,219

Santa Maria, CA $82,991

Everett, WA $82,976

Danbury, CT $82,708

Bremerton, WA $82,603

Tacoma, WA $82,329

New Suffolk, NY $82,327

Sacramento, CA $82,306

Santa Barbara, CA $82,222

Trenton, NJ $82,138

San Diego, CA $82,138

Brockton, MA $82,055

Fairbanks, AK $81,868

Lompoc, CA $81,674

Lowell, MA $81,612

Ventura, CA $81,598

Nashua, NH $81,583

Stockton, CA $81,575

Modesto, CA $81,019

Poughkeepsie, NY $80,852

Olympia, WA $80,707

Kennewick, WA $80,707

New Haven, CT $80,677

Lawrence, MA $80,403

Hartford, CT $80,327

Riverside, CA $80,311

New Bedford, MA $80,235

Richland, WA $80,235

Bakersfield, CA $80,129

San Bernardino, CA $80,098

New Britain, CT $80,091

Atlantic City, NJ $80,091

New London, CT $80,060

Norwich, CT $80,037

Portsmouth, NH $80,022

Boulder, CO $79,861

Portland, OR $79,756

Worcester, MA $79,748

Minneapolis, MN $79,512

Philadelphia, PA $79,406

Honolulu, HI $79,154

Saint Paul, MN $79,118

Vineland, NJ $79,101

Providence, RI $78,880

Chicago, IL $78,660

Bellingham, WA $78,568

Springfield, MA $78,507

Baltimore, MD $78,485

Chico, CA $78,294

Pittsfield, MA $78,089

Manchester, NH $77,944

Spokane, WA $77,609

Denver, CO $77,602

Albany, NY $77,244

Troy, NY $77,213

Nassau, NY $77,132

Schenectady, NY $77,054

Wilmington, DE $76,993

Burlington, VT $76,886

Salem, OR $76,856

Portland, ME $76,620

Yakima, WA $76,544

Rochester, MN $76,308

Reno, NV $76,270

Fresno, CA $76,270

Milwaukee, WI $76,201

Detroit, MI $76,125

Ann Arbor, MI $76,112

Allentown, PA $76,102

Colorado Springs, CO $75,973

Syracuse, NY $75,935

Carson City, NV $75,935

Houston, TX $75,828

Eugene, OR $75,790

Gary, IN $75,699

Springfield, OR $75,638

Bismarck, ND $75,623

Galveston, TX $75,569

Medford, OR $75,455

Fort Collins, CO $75,425

Concord, NH $75,387

Austin, TX $75,364

Mesa, AZ $75,204

Reading, PA $75,196

Phoenix, AZ $75,189

Dallas, TX $75,166

Saint Cloud, MN $75,093

Madison, WI $74,991

Utica, NY $74,785

Rochester, NY $74,664

Des Moines, IA $74,656

Raleigh, NC $74,648

Atlanta, GA $74,534

Battle Creek, MI $74,511

Salt Lake City, UT $74,488

Lancaster, PA $74,374

Harrisburg, PA $74,268

Kansas City, MO $74,192

Champaign, IL $74,176

Kansas City, KS $74,176

Fort Worth, TX $74,169

Columbus, OH $74,156

Boca Raton, FL $74,138

Pittsburgh, PA $74,108

Richmond, VA $74,077

Indianapolis, IN $74,062

Cleveland, OH $74,055

Las Vegas, NV $73,963

Cincinnati, OH $73,963

Petersburg, VA $73,849

Huntsville, AL $73,735

Lansing, MI $73,684

Lebanon, PA $73,674

Pueblo, CO $73,666

Appleton, WI $73,644

Buffalo, NY $73,613

Dayton, OH $73,590

Racine, WI $73,575

Charlotte, NC $73,567

Saint Louis, MO $73,545

York, PA $73,499

Elkhart, IN $73,499

Gastonia, NC $73,484

Billings, MT $73,466

Beaumont, TX $73,446

Lorain, OH $73,430

Benton Harbor, MI $73,415

Toledo, OH $73,400

Binghamton, NY $73,362

Rock Hill, SC $73,354

Rockford, IL $73,316

Springfield, IL $73,286

Elyria, OH $73,278

Fargo, ND $73,278

Flagstaff, AZ $73,225

Fort Lauderdale, FL $73,179

Duluth, MN $73,134

Miami, FL $73,134

Cheyenne, WY $73,080

Grand Forks, ND $73,080

Bangor, ME $72,913

Cedar Rapids, IA $72,829

Durham, NC $72,797

Louisville, KY $72,791

Grand Rapids, MI $72,776

Hialeah, FL $72,768

Casper, WY $72,662

Scranton, PA $72,570

New Orleans, LA $72,547

Virginia Beach, VA $72,540

Akron, OH $72,502

Peoria, IL $72,403

Sarasota, FL $72,388

Nashville, TN $72,334

Omaha, NE $72,334

Green Bay, WI $72,334

Baton Rouge, LA $72,296

Charleston, SC $72,281

Jamestown, NY $72,243

Davenport, IA $72,243

Tucson, AZ $72,205

Saint Petersburg, FL $72,159

Tampa, FL $72,144

Evansville, IN $72,098

Port Arthur, TX $72,098

Bradenton, FL $72,068

Santa Fe, NM $71,931

Orlando, FL $71,794

Clearwater, FL $71,771

Canton, OH $71,611

La Crosse, WI $71,611

Albuquerque, NM $71,566

Newport News, VA $71,558

High Point, NC $71,535

Ogden, UT $71,505

Corpus Christi, TX $71,444

Norfolk, VA $71,398

Laramie, WY $71,398

Rock Island, IL $71,352

Saginaw, MI $71,337

Jacksonville, FL $71,330

Salisbury, NC $71,314

Boise, ID $71,299

Moline, IL $71,261

Fort Myers, FL $71,238

Memphis, TN $71,223

Tulsa, OK $71,185

Waterloo, IA $71,139

Spartanburg, SC $71,063

Lincoln, NE $71,025

Fort Wayne, IN $71,010

Provo, UT $71,002

Cedar Falls, IA $70,911

San Antonio, TX $70,881

Greensboro, NC $70,850

South Bend, IN $70,842

Savannah, GA $70,759

Muskegon, MI $70,728

Birmingham, AL $70,721

Winston Salem, NC $70,683

Lake Charles, LA $70,500

Anderson, IN $70,485

Lexington, KY $70,462

Augusta, GA $70,439

Greenville, SC $70,439

Lima, OH $70,378

Wichita, KS $70,371

Tuscaloosa, AL $70,371

Columbia, SC $70,302

Springfield, OH $70,287

Asheville, NC $70,165

Bloomington, IN $70,112

Knoxville, TN $69,838

Shreveport, LA $69,830

Wilmington, NC $69,731

Roanoke, VA $69,731

Topeka, KS $69,594

Frankfort, KY $69,586

Oklahoma City, OK $69,533

Chillicothe, OH $69,503

Longview, TX $69,495

Melbourne, FL $69,488

Sioux Falls, SD $69,366

Mobile, AL $69,358

Terre Haute, IN $69,328

Altoona, PA $69,282

Amarillo, TX $69,229

Killeen, TX $69,206

Fayetteville, AR $69,145

Chattanooga, TN $69,122

Sioux City, IA $69,054

Idaho Falls, ID $69,038

Lynchburg, VA $68,978

Gainesville, FL $68,879

Portsmouth, OH $68,841

Little Rock, AR $68,825

Lafayette, LA $68,795

Youngstown, OH $68,795

Daytona Beach, FL $68,749

Clarksville, TN $68,742

Pensacola, FL $68,734

Temple, TX $68,729

Hopkinsville, KY $68,506

Erie, PA $68,490

Florence, SC $68,460

Charleston, WV $68,338

Great Falls, MT $68,300

Macon, GA $68,194

Tallahassee, FL $68,186

Fayetteville, NC $68,171

Waco, TX $68,156

Helena, MT $68,102

Pine Bluff, AR $68,073

Vincennes, IN $67,980

Lubbock, TX $67,950

Alamogordo, NM $67,904

Twin Falls, ID $67,836

Rapid City, SD $67,813

Jackson, MS $67,676

Huntington, WV $67,671

Greenville, MS $67,668

Parkersburg, WV $67,591

Montgomery, AL $67,577

Wichita Falls, TX $67,501

Springfield, MO $67,501

Biloxi, MS $67,463

Monroe, LA $67,387

Johnstown, PA $67,333

Sumter, SC $67,303

Columbus, GA $67,295

Pascagoula, MS $67,151

Abilene, TX $67,151

Kingsport, TN $66,953

Albany, GA $66,953

Gulfport, MS $66,930

Alexandria, LA $66,679

Fort Smith, AR $66,489

El Paso, TX $66,283

Las Cruces, NM $65,941

Harlingen, TX $65,747

Pocatello, ID $65,735

Florence, AL $65,636

Brownsville, TX $65,621

Mcallen, TX $65,461

Dothan, AL $65,354

Columbus, MS $64,902

Altus, OK $64,548

Lawton, OK $64,403

Pierre, SD $64,129

What Skills Can Increase an 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 an 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	$84,490	11%
Prioritization	$81,446	7%
Consulting	$80,684	6%
Cost Control	$80,684	6%
AML	$79,923	5%
Analysis	$79,162	4%

Get Latest Data

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

Understanding how an 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 July 01, 2026

$68,435

Average $76,117/year

$87,349

$5,703

Average $6,343/month

$7,279

$1,316

Average $1,464/week

$1,680

$33

Average $37/hour

$42

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$87,349	$7,279	$1,680	$42
Average	$76,117	$6,343	$1,464	$37
25th Percentile	$68,435	$5,703	$1,316	$33

Salaries of jobs related to Investigator

Salary Trends for Investigator

Salaries for an Investigator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $88,388 in 2023 to around $87,372 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Investigator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Investigator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$88,388

2024

$88,259

2025

$87,372

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$88,388
2024	$88,259
2025	$87,372
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Investigator

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Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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.)

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