The salary of a private investigator ranges between $30,000 and $110,000. (approx.). The average annual salary is around $50,000, and the average hourly wage is about $24. Let us take a detailed look at a private investigator’s salary.
Private investigators/detectives are involved in providing assistance to individuals, organizations, or attorneys. They collect evidence and analyze facts to help their clients in cases that involve cheating, infidelity, background checks, insurance claims, copyright violation, cyber harassment, etc.
A majority of private investigators work with an organization although many take additional work to complement their fixed source of income. Given below is the information pertaining to the salary of private investigators. Please remember that the salary may vary based on the field of expertise and years of experience.
According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage of private detectives and investigators was $50,780 in May, 2012. The mean hourly wage stood at $24.42, during the same time.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted that employment in this field will increase by 21% between 2010-2020, which is faster than the national average. According to the latest data of online salary websites, the salary range of private investigators was between $30,000 and $110,000. (approximate figures)
Mean Annual Salary Across the States
| Alabama | 50,000 |
| Alaska | 41,000 |
| Arizona | 43,000 |
| Arkansas | 48,000 |
| California | 54,000 |
| Colorado | 43,000 |
| Connecticut | 53,000 |
| Delaware | 45,000 |
| Florida | 46,000 |
| Georgia | 53,000 |
| Hawaii | 35,000 |
| Idaho | 40,000 |
| Illinois | 51,000 |
| Indiana | 49,000 |
| Iowa | 46,000 |
| Kansas | 44,000 |
| Kentucky | 43,000 |
| Louisiana | 41,000 |
| Maine | 43,000 |
| Maryland | 49,000 |
| Massachusetts | 56,000 |
| Michigan | 48,000 |
| Minnesota | 56,000 |
| Mississippi | 57,000 |
| Missouri | 48,000 |
| Montana | 49,000 |
| Nebraska | 39,000 |
| Nevada | 45,000 |
| New Hampshire | 48,000 |
| New Jersey | 52,000 |
| New Mexico | 44,000 |
| New York | 57,000 |
| North Carolina | 48,000 |
| North Dakota | 46,000 |
| Ohio | 46,000 |
| Oklahoma | 45,000 |
| Oregon | 46,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 43,000 |
| Rhode Island | 49,000 |
| South Carolina | 44,000 |
| South Dakota | 38,000 |
| Tennessee | 46,000 |
| Texas | 46,000 |
| Utah | 43,000 |
| Vermont | 46,000 |
| Virginia | 49,000 |
| Washington | 46,000 |
| West Virginia | 48,000 |
| Wisconsin | 43,000 |
| Wyoming | 45,000 |
Source: Indeed (as on May 17, 2013)
Figures are in US dollars
Top Paying Metropolitan Areas
| Area | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Wage |
| San Jose | 38.88 | 80,870 |
| Sunnyvale | 38.88 | 80,870 |
| Santa Clara | 38.88 | 80,870 |
| San Francisco | 38.41 | 79,900 |
| San Mateo | 38.41 | 79,900 |
| Redwood City | 38.41 | 79,900 |
| Birmingham | 37.21 | 77,390 |
| Hoover | 37.21 | 77,390 |
| San Diego | 35.03 | 72,870 |
| Carlsbad | 35.03 | 72,870 |
| San Marcos | 35.03 | 72,870 |
| Houston | 32.49 | 67,590 |
| Sugar Land | 32.49 | 67,590 |
| Baytown | 32.49 | 67,590 |
| Seattle | 32.22 | 67,030 |
| Bellevue | 32.22 | 67,030 |
| Oakland | 32.13 | 66,820 |
| Fremont | 32.13 | 66,820 |
| Hayward | 32.13 | 66,820 |
| Denver | 32.03 | 66,610 |
| Aurora | 32.03 | 66,610 |
| Broomfield | 32.03 | 66,610 |
| Provo | 31.30 | 65,110 |
| Orem | 31.30 | 65,110 |
| Dallas | 30.73 | 63,910 |
| Plano | 30.73 | 63,910 |
| Irving | 30.73 | 63,910 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2012)
Figures are in US dollars
| Service | Hourly Mean Wage | Annual Mean Wage |
| Management Consulting | 35.51 | 73,860 |
| Scientific Consulting | 35.51 | 73,860 |
| Technical Consulting | 35.51 | 73,860 |
| Electric Power Generation | 35.18 | 73,180 |
| Transmission and Distribution | 35.18 | 73,180 |
| Navigational Services | 34.54 | 71,850 |
| Measuring Services | 34.54 | 71,850 |
| Electromedical Services | 34.54 | 71,850 |
| Control Instruments | 34.54 | 71,850 |
| Aerospace Products | 33.95 | 70,620 |
| Computer System Design | 33.87 | 70,440 |
Source:Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2012)
Figures are in US dollars
Becoming a Private Investigator
Private investigators work mostly with firms which are small in scale as a result of which, career advancement opportunities may be limited. However, private investigators do get yearly salary hikes, and are also entitled to bonuses. Many investigators start their own firms after gaining sufficient experience.
