Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary
Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn a median of $93,790 a year ($45.09/hr) in the U.S. – from $54,500 in Arkansas to $160,760 in District of Columbia. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$45.09/hr · $93,790 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$55,390$26.63/hr
75% earn more$69,330$33.33/hr
half earn more, half less$93,790$45.09/hr
25% earn more$120,520$57.94/hr
top 10% earn more$160,540$77.18/hr
pulled up by top earners$99,430$47.80/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among detectives and criminal investigators. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
2,980 jobs · $77.29/hr$160,760
1,010 jobs · $60.93/hr$126,730
12,610 jobs · $60.02/hr$124,840
140 jobs · $58.68/hr$122,050
3,080 jobs · $55.92/hr$116,300
1,850 jobs · $55.67/hr$115,790
140 jobs · $55.26/hr$114,940
440 jobs · $54.78/hr$113,940
3,180 jobs · $54.21/hr$112,760
1,300 jobs · $52.96/hr$110,150
520 jobs · $51.66/hr$107,450
190 jobs · $51.12/hr$106,330
1,930 jobs · $50.71/hr$105,480
5,250 jobs · $49.20/hr$102,340
9,600 jobs · $48.67/hr$101,240
290 jobs · $48.33/hr$100,530
3,370 jobs · $46.91/hr$97,580
940 jobs · $45.79/hr$95,240
590 jobs · $45.42/hr$94,470
500 jobs · $44.43/hr$92,410
220 jobs · $44.43/hr$92,410
3,270 jobs · $43.84/hr$91,190
1,640 jobs · $43.77/hr$91,040
2,220 jobs · $43.58/hr$90,650
18,870 jobs · $43.51/hr$90,510
290 jobs · $42.93/hr$89,290
360 jobs · $42.52/hr$88,450
550 jobs · $42.46/hr$88,310
2,020 jobs · $41.75/hr$86,840
420 jobs · $39.56/hr$82,290
170 jobs · $39.37/hr$81,880
1,220 jobs · $38.67/hr$80,430
1,970 jobs · $38.46/hr$80,000
410 jobs · $38.25/hr$79,560
2,140 jobs · $38.13/hr$79,300
550 jobs · $37.94/hr$78,920
250 jobs · $37.37/hr$77,730
1,860 jobs · $37.06/hr$77,090
6,440 jobs · $37.05/hr$77,060
1,060 jobs · $36.41/hr$75,740
1,600 jobs · $36.37/hr$75,650
630 jobs · $34.86/hr$72,520
720 jobs · $34.46/hr$71,670
620 jobs · $34.02/hr$70,760
1,280 jobs · $33.82/hr$70,340
1,340 jobs · $31.87/hr$66,290
5,070 jobs · $31.46/hr$65,430
3,360 jobs · $30.43/hr$63,280
1,470 jobs · $30.17/hr$62,760
1,740 jobs · $29.06/hr$60,450
810 jobs · $28.19/hr$58,640
560 jobs · $26.20/hr$54,500
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 33-3021. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make?
The median wage for detectives and criminal investigators in the U.S. was $45.09 an hour or $93,790 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $69,330 and $120,520 a year.
Which state pays detectives and criminal investigators the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for detectives and criminal investigators: $160,760 a year. The lowest published median is in Arkansas at $54,500. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many detectives and criminal investigators are there?
BLS estimates 114,430 detectives and criminal investigators were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.