Private Detective – Investigator Salaries By State – Pursue A Career As A Private Detective – Private Investigator
A background in Criminal Justice is extremely useful in the field of a private investigator. Private investigators may assist government bodies in critical investigations into individuals or organizations or be hired by private clients to investigate assigned cases. Private Detective’s salary varies from state to state and different in each industry.
These assigned cases may include:
- Find missing persons
- Research into financial or criminal investigations
- Preforming undercover work to obtain evidence
A majority of the time, however, a private deductive – investigator conducting independent research. This research may be carried out in several different ways, including surveillance, undercover work, and interviews with people of interest in the case. The suspect will face a trial. In this instance, the investigator will likely be called to the stand to provide courtroom testimony.
Private detectives spend a lot of time in the field performing their various duties. Due to this, they may be required to be in good physical condition.
Private Investigator Complete Career Guide And State Wise Salary Details
National estimates for Private Investigator:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment | Employment RSE | Mean hourly wage | Mean annual wage | Wage RSE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30,990 | 7.0 % | $27.31 | $56,810 | 4.2 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $14.09 | $17.82 | $24.08 | $32.88 | $42.89 |
| Annual Wage | $29,310 | $37,060 | $50,090 | $68,400 | $89,200 |
States with highest level of employment For Private Investigator:
- California
- Pennsylvania
- Florida
- New York
- Texas
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients For Private Investigator:
- Pennsylvania
- Alaska
- Nevada
- Florida
- Louisiana
Top paying States for this occupation:
- District of Columbia
- Alaska
- California
- Virginia
- New Jersey
Industries with the highest levels of employment For Private Investigator:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation and Security Services | 11,620 | 1.23 | $27.50 | $57,200 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2,060 | 0.09 | $25.95 | $53,970 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) | 1,820 | 0.03 | $28.99 | $60,290 |
| Credit Inter mediation and Related Activities | 1,790 | 0.09 | $27.92 | $58,070 |
| Legal Services | 1,250 | 0.11 | $25.91 | $53,900 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation and Security Services | 11,620 | 1.23 | $27.50 | $57,200 |
| Other Personal Services | 450 | 0.13 | $20.48 | $42,600 |
| Facilities Support Services | 200 | 0.13 | $29.39 | $61,140 |
| Legal Services | 1,250 | 0.11 | $25.91 | $53,900 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 620 | 0.10 | $23.52 | $48,910 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 70 | 0.02 | $48.35 | $100,560 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 640 | 0.03 | $40.33 | $83,890 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | $36.29 | $75,470 | ||
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 40 | 0.01 | $36.18 | $75,260 |
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | $35.32 | $73,460 |
Top paying States :
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 5,330 | 7.48 | 3.49 | $38.69 | $80,470 |
| Connecticut | 4,780 | 2.88 | 1.34 | $30.17 | $62,760 |
| California | 33,390 | 1.96 | 0.92 | $29.44 | $61,240 |
| Washington | 6,220 | 1.91 | 0.89 | $29.30 | $60,940 |
| Massachusetts | 7,330 | 2.05 | 0.96 | $29.00 | $60,320 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation :
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,710 | 0.55 | 2.55 | $33.14 | $68,930 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 1,590 | 0.17 | 0.78 | $29.21 | $60,750 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,390 | 1.22 | 5.69 | $20.56 | $42,770 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 700 | 0.26 | 1.22 | $25.18 | $52,370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 670 | 0.11 | 0.51 | $37.81 | $78,650 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 670 | 0.14 | 0.67 | $30.14 | $62,690 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 500 | 0.17 | 0.78 | $24.50 | $50,950 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 480 | 0.45 | 2.09 | $17.26 | $35,890 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 430 | 0.22 | 1.02 | (8) | |
| Columbus, OH | 360 | 0.34 | 1.61 | $23.42 | $48,710 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,390 | 1.22 | 5.69 | $20.56 | $42,770 |
| Lafayette, LA | 140 | 0.71 | 3.33 | $21.17 | $44,030 |
| Salem, OR | 100 | 0.57 | 2.65 | $29.44 | $61,240 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,710 | 0.55 | 2.55 | $33.14 | $68,930 |
| Anchorage, AK | 90 | 0.51 | 2.36 | $33.05 | $68,740 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 480 | 0.45 | 2.09 | $17.26 | $35,890 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 100 | 0.45 | 2.10 | ||
| Columbus, GA-AL | 50 | 0.44 | 2.03 | $21.95 | $45,650 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 90 | 0.43 | 2.01 | $20.37 | $42,380 |
| Tulsa, OK | 190 | 0.43 | 2.01 | $16.94 | $35,220 |
Alabama:
Employment: 200
Location quotient: 0.47
Employment per 1,000: 0.10
Annual mean wage: $54,200
Alaska:
Employment: 110
Location quotient: 1.65
Employment per 1,000: 0.35
Annual mean wage: $69,210
Arizona:
Employment: 380
Location quotient: 0.64
Employment per 1,000: 0.14
Annual mean wage: $53,680
TOP 15 Criminal Justice Jobs That Don’t Require Police Academy
California:
Employment: 3,870
Location quotient: 1.06
Employment per 1,000: 0.23
Annual mean wage: $67,970
Colorado:
Employment: 340
Location quotient: 0.61
Employment per 1,000: 0.13
Annual mean wage: $53,860
Delaware:
Employment: 40
Location quotient: 0.44
Employment per 1,000: 0.09
Annual mean wage: $49,250
Florida:
Employment: 2,860
Location quotient: 1.55
Employment per 1,000: 0.33
Annual mean wage: $41,850
Penologist Career Guide – What Does A Penologist Do ?
Georgia:
Employment: 1,080
Location quotient: 1.15
Employment per 1,000: 0.25
Annual mean wage: $49,360
Idaho:
Employment: 50
Location quotient: 0.32
Employment per 1,000: 0.07
Annual mean wage: $57,420
Illinois:
Employment: 860
Location quotient: 0.67
Employment per 1,000: 0.14
Annual mean wage: $60,630
Indiana:
Employment: 210
Location quotient: 0.32
Employment per 1,000: 0.07
Annual mean wage: $48,250
How To Become A Criminal Psychologist : Step By Step Career Guide 2020
Iowa:
Employment: 90
Location quotient: 0.26
Employment per 1,000: 0.06
Annual mean wage: N/A
Kansas:
Employment: 120
Location quotient: 0.42
Employment per 1,000: 0.09
Annual mean wage: $52,090
Louisiana:
Employment: 520
Location quotient: 1.26
Employment per 1,000: 0.27
Annual mean wage: $47,070
Massachusetts:
Employment: 550
Location quotient: 0.72
Employment per 1,000: 0.15
Annual mean wage: $49,290
Michigan:
Employment: 530
Location quotient: 0.58
Employment per 1,000: 0.12
Annual mean wage: $52,010
Minnesota:
Employment: 490
Location quotient: 0.79
Employment per 1,000: 0.17
Annual mean wage: N/A
Mississippi:
Employment: 110
Location quotient: 0.48
Employment per 1,000: 0.10
Annual mean wage: $46,890
Other Related Forensic Science Career :Blood Spatter Analyst
Missouri:
Employment: 240
Location quotient: 0.40
Employment per 1,000: 0.08
Annual mean wage: $56,700
Nevada:
Employment: 460
Location quotient: 1.58
Employment per 1,000: 0.34
Annual mean wage: $64,080
New Hampshire:
Employment: 170
Location quotient: 1.20
Employment per 1,000: 0.26
Annual mean wage: $52,810
New Jersey:
Employment: 740
Employment per 1,000: 0.18
Location quotient: 0.85
Annual mean wage: $64,250
Other Related Forensic Science Jobs : Computer Forensic Investigator
New Mexico:
Employment: 70
Location quotient: 0.39
Employment per 1,000: 0.08
Annual mean wage: $55,360
New York:
Location quotient: 0.85
Employment per 1,000: 0.18
Employment: 1,720
Annual mean wage: $61,950
North Carolina:
Employment: 570
Location quotient: 0.61
Employment per 1,000: 0.13
Annual mean wage: $53,050
Ohio:
Employment: 1,280
Location quotient: 1.10
Employment per 1,000: 0.24
Annual mean wage: $43,060
Oklahoma:
Location quotient: 0.87
Employment per 1,000: 0.19
Employment: 300
Annual mean wage: $42,820
Oregon:
Employment: 350
Location quotient: 0.87
Employment per 1,000: 0.19
Annual mean wage: $55,240
How To Become A Forensic Anthropologist Complete Career Guide
Pennsylvania:
Employment: 3,100
Location quotient: 2.47
Employment per 1,000: 0.53
Annual mean wage: $45,950
Rhode Island:
Employment: 40
Location quotient: 0.40
Employment per 1,000: 0.09
Annual mean wage: $55,290
South Carolina:
Employment: 190
Location quotient: 0.43
Employment per 1,000: 0.09
Annual mean wage: $50,150
South Dakota:
Employment: 90
Location quotient: 0.96
Employment per 1,000: 0.21
Annual mean wage: $39,040
Tennessee
Employment: 580
Location quotient: 0.92
Employment per 1,000: 0.20
Annual mean wage: N/A
Texas:
Employment: 1,570
Location quotient: 0.61
Employment per 1,000: 0.13
Annual mean wage: $49,250
Utah:
Employment: 120
Location quotient: 0.39
Employment per 1,000: 0.08
Annual mean wage: $46,310
How To Become A Private Investigator Salary Career 2020 FULL GUIDE
Virginia:
Employment: 70
Location quotient: 0.49
Employment per 1,000: 0.11
Annual mean wage: $42,290
West Virginia:
Employment: 70
Location quotient: 0.49
Employment per 1,000: 0.11
Annual mean wage: $42,290
Wisconsin:
Employment: 270
Location quotient: 0.44
Employment per 1,000: 0.10
Annual mean wage: $43,790
Wyoming:
Employment: 70
Location quotient: 0.61
Employment per 1,000: 0.13
Annual mean wage: $45,150
Additional Resources
How to Become A Private Investigator Salary Career 2020 FULL GUIDE
Top 15 Most Useful Criminal Justice Major Full Guide Requirements, Salary, Jobs, Internship, Top Colleges.
Top 20 Criminal Justice Jobs With Associates Degree Full Guide With Salary Details
Refrences:
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018-19 Occupational Outlook Handbook, “State & Area Data.”
*The salary information listed is based on a national average, unless noted. Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors. National long-term projections of employment growth may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.
