Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators is $93,790, or $45.09 per hour. About 114,430 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $160,760 in District of Columbia to $54,500 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $160,760 | $77.29 | 2,980 | 5.78 |
| 2 | Maryland | $126,730 | $60.93 | 1,010 | 0.50 |
| 3 | California | $124,840 | $60.02 | 12,610 | 0.94 |
| 4 | Delaware | $122,050 | $58.68 | 140 | 0.40 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $116,300 | $55.92 | 3,080 | 0.98 |
| 6 | Washington | $115,790 | $55.67 | 1,850 | 0.71 |
| 7 | Alaska | $114,940 | $55.26 | 140 | 0.58 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $113,940 | $54.78 | 440 | 0.95 |
| 9 | Virginia | $112,760 | $54.21 | 3,180 | 1.05 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $110,150 | $52.96 | 1,300 | 0.49 |
| 11 | Oregon | $107,450 | $51.66 | 520 | 0.36 |
| 12 | Vermont | $106,330 | $51.12 | 190 | 0.85 |
| 13 | Colorado | $105,480 | $50.71 | 1,930 | 0.91 |
| 14 | Arizona | $102,340 | $49.20 | 5,250 | 2.20 |
| 15 | New York | $101,240 | $48.67 | 9,600 | 1.35 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $100,530 | $48.33 | 290 | 0.38 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $97,580 | $46.91 | 3,370 | 0.76 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $95,240 | $45.79 | 940 | 0.75 |
| 19 | Nevada | $94,470 | $45.42 | 590 | 0.52 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $92,410 | $44.43 | 220 | 0.42 |
| 21 | Montana | $92,410 | $44.43 | 500 | 1.32 |
| 22 | Illinois | $91,190 | $43.84 | 3,270 | 0.73 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $91,040 | $43.77 | 1,640 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Michigan | $90,650 | $43.58 | 2,220 | 0.69 |
| 25 | Texas | $90,510 | $43.51 | 18,870 | 1.82 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $89,290 | $42.93 | 290 | 0.58 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $88,450 | $42.52 | 360 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Maine | $88,310 | $42.46 | 550 | 1.17 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $86,840 | $41.75 | 2,020 | 3.15 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $82,290 | $39.56 | 420 | 1.31 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $81,880 | $39.37 | 170 | 0.82 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $80,430 | $38.67 | 1,220 | 0.97 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $80,000 | $38.46 | 1,970 | 0.91 |
| 34 | Iowa | $79,560 | $38.25 | 410 | 0.36 |
| 35 | Ohio | $79,300 | $38.13 | 2,140 | 0.52 |
| 36 | Utah | $78,920 | $37.94 | 550 | 0.43 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $77,730 | $37.37 | 250 | 0.74 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $77,090 | $37.06 | 1,860 | 0.77 |
| 39 | Florida | $77,060 | $37.05 | 6,440 | 0.88 |
| 40 | Kansas | $75,740 | $36.41 | 1,060 | 1.00 |
| 41 | Missouri | $75,650 | $36.37 | 1,600 | 0.74 |
| 42 | Idaho | $72,520 | $34.86 | 630 | 1.00 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $71,670 | $34.46 | 720 | 0.49 |
| 44 | Indiana | $70,340 | $33.82 | 1,280 | 0.54 |
| 45 | Alabama | $66,290 | $31.87 | 1,340 | 0.86 |
| 46 | Georgia | $65,430 | $31.46 | 5,070 | 1.41 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $63,280 | $30.43 | 3,360 | 0.92 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $62,760 | $30.17 | 1,470 | 0.87 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $60,450 | $29.06 | 1,740 | 1.22 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $58,640 | $28.19 | 810 | 0.95 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $54,500 | $26.20 | 560 | 0.58 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make?
The median annual wage for detectives and criminal investigators in the United States is $93,790, or $45.09 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $55,390, and the top 10% earn $160,540.
How many detectives and criminal investigators are employed in the U.S.?
About 114,430 people work as detectives and criminal investigators nationwide.
Which state pays detectives and criminal investigators the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $160,760, followed by Maryland ($126,730) and California ($124,840).
Which state pays detectives and criminal investigators the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $54,500.
Where are detectives and criminal investigators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 5.78×.