United States · Pay by job · Protective Service
Private Detective and Investigator salary and take-home pay
The typical US private detective and investigator earns $51,220 a year, or $24.62 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $51,810, a single filer keeps about $43,809 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Private Detectives and Investigators (SOC 33-9021). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a private detective and investigator earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,740 | $17.66 | |
| 25th | $40,700 | $19.57 | |
| Median | $51,220 | $24.62 | |
| 75th | $73,990 | $35.57 | |
| 90th | $97,630 | $46.94 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $40,700 to $73,990 a year, and about 35,580 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Private Detective and Investigator · Texas · single · median
$43,809.34 a year after tax
$3,650.78 a month · $1,684.97 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $51,810.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$4,037.20 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$3,963.46 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $43,809.34 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $51,810 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a private detective and investigator take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,740 | $31,701 | $30,805 | $30,124 |
| 25th | $40,700 | $34,882 | $33,777 | $33,075 |
| Median | $51,220 | $43,335 | $41,623 | $40,914 |
| 75th | $73,990 | $60,882 | $57,336 | $57,133 |
| 90th | $97,630 | $77,513 | $71,553 | $72,350 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a private detective and investigator keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $65,370 | $54,705 |
| 2 | Washington | $64,080 | $52,779 |
| 3 | California | $61,250 | $48,950 |
| 4 | Illinois | $60,210 | $47,723 |
| 5 | New York | $59,140 | $46,816 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $54,310 | $45,818 |
| 7 | Virginia | $56,160 | $44,889 |
| 8 | Alaska | $53,440 | $44,852 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $54,710 | $44,244 |
| 10 | Texas | $51,810 | $43,809 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $52,890 | $43,076 |
| 12 | Florida | $50,640 | $42,869 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $49,360 | $41,841 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $51,200 | $41,712 |
| 15 | Michigan | $48,650 | $39,453 |
| 16 | Ohio | $47,200 | $39,251 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $44,840 | $38,209 |
| 18 | Georgia | $45,060 | $36,886 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Nevada.
How much does a private detective and investigator earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,810 | 530 | not yet |
| Alaska | $53,440 | 70 | $44,852 (#8) |
| Arizona | $61,030 | 790 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $47,750 | 370 | not yet |
| California | $61,250 | 4,190 | $48,950 (#3) |
| Colorado | $48,730 | 540 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $75,010 | 400 | not yet |
| Delaware | $55,710 | 110 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $72,720 | not released | not yet |
| Florida | $50,640 | 3,660 | $42,869 (#12) |
| Georgia | $45,060 | 1,460 | $36,886 (#18) |
| Hawaii | $45,750 | 70 | not yet |
| Idaho | $47,910 | 210 | not yet |
| Illinois | $60,210 | 1,300 | $47,723 (#4) |
| Indiana | $41,830 | 480 | not yet |
| Iowa | $41,110 | 170 | not yet |
| Kansas | $45,260 | 280 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $47,650 | 350 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $41,950 | 860 | not yet |
| Maine | $43,830 | 210 | not yet |
| Maryland | not released | 560 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $50,240 | 280 | not yet |
| Michigan | $48,650 | 850 | $39,453 (#15) |
| Minnesota | $57,880 | 600 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $39,060 | 330 | not yet |
| Missouri | $41,600 | 590 | not yet |
| Montana | $47,430 | 70 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $51,750 | 160 | not yet |
| Nevada | not released | 350 | – |
| New Hampshire | $65,370 | 280 | $54,705 (#1) |
| New Jersey | $54,710 | 410 | $44,244 (#9) |
| New Mexico | $41,600 | not released | not yet |
| New York | $59,140 | 1,300 | $46,816 (#5) |
| North Carolina | $52,890 | 1,710 | $43,076 (#11) |
| North Dakota | $44,310 | 60 | not yet |
| Ohio | $47,200 | 1,560 | $39,251 (#16) |
| Oklahoma | $39,680 | 370 | not yet |
| Oregon | $76,480 | 610 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $51,200 | 1,220 | $41,712 (#14) |
| Rhode Island | $54,620 | 60 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $51,530 | 620 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $44,840 | 60 | $38,209 (#17) |
| Tennessee | $49,360 | 940 | $41,841 (#13) |
| Texas | $51,810 | 3,220 | $43,809 (#10) |
| Utah | $57,910 | 350 | not yet |
| Vermont | $67,910 | 90 | not yet |
| Virginia | $56,160 | 1,280 | $44,889 (#7) |
| Washington | $64,080 | 750 | $52,779 (#2) |
| West Virginia | $46,410 | 170 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $41,850 | 410 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $54,310 | 40 | $45,818 (#6) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a private detective and investigator?
BLS expects jobs as a private detective and investigator to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,200 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +5.5%
- Openings a year
- about 3,200
- Usual education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 protective service jobs closest in pay to a private detective and investigator:
- Firefighter median $59,280
- Correctional Officer median $58,940
- Forest Fire Inspector median $56,870
- Bailiff median $56,600
- Security Supervisor median $55,940
- Parking Enforcement Worker median $46,730
- Animal Control Worker median $45,660
- Gambling Surveillance Officer median $43,370
- Other Protective Service Worker median $42,540
- Crossing Guard and Flagger median $38,100
Every job in the group: Protective Service jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $51,220, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $24.62 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $51,220, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about private detective and investigator pay
How much does a private detective and investigator make an hour?
The median is $24.62 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $19.57 to $35.57, and the top 10% earn $46.94 or more.
Which state pays a private detective and investigator the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Oregon has the highest median for this job: $76,480 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, New Hampshire leaves the most: $54,705 a year for a single filer on its median of $65,370.
What is a private detective and investigator’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $51,220, a single filer keeps about $43,335 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $41,623 in California and $40,914 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a private detective and investigator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual way in, with less than 5 years of work experience in a related job and moderate-term on-the-job training (more than a month, up to a year).
Is the number of private detective and investigator jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a private detective and investigator to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,200 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).