How much do Detectives and Criminal Investigators make?
The median pay for Detectives and Criminal Investigators in the United States is $93,790 per year — about $45.09 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $55,390, while the most experienced professionals in the top 10% earn $160,540.
That is $32,400 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary range by percentile
Half of all Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn between $69,330 and $120,520 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $55,390 | $26.63 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $69,330 | $33.33 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $93,790 | $45.09 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $120,520 | $57.94 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $160,540 | $77.18 |
Highest-paying states for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay at $160,760 a year, followed by Maryland ($126,730) and California ($124,840). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $54,500 — a gap of $106,260 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $160,760 | $77.29 | +71% |
| 2 | Maryland | $126,730 | $60.93 | +35% |
| 3 | California | $124,840 | $60.02 | +33% |
| 4 | Delaware | $122,050 | $58.68 | +30% |
| 5 | New Jersey | $116,300 | $55.91 | +24% |
Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 114,000 people work as Detectives and Criminal Investigators in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $99,430 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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