The average salary for a private detective in California is around $65,420 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $65,420.
Wages typically start from $36,680 and go up to $105,760.
9% below national average Updated in 2018
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$50.85 per hour
$105,760 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$40.12 per hour
$83,460 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$31.45 per hour
$65,420 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$23.50 per hour
$48,880 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$17.64 per hour
$36,680 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Private detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $69,300 |
| District of Columbia | $68,940 |
| Alaska | $67,240 |
| California | $65,420 |
| Virginia | $65,170 |
| New Jersey | $62,060 |
| Illinois | $60,630 |
| New York | $59,780 |
| Idaho | $57,420 |
| Connecticut | $57,300 |
| Maryland | $56,580 |
| Rhode Island | $54,930 |
| Iowa | $54,360 |
| Massachusetts | $54,340 |
| New Mexico | $53,750 |
| Missouri | $53,010 |
| Oregon | $52,260 |
| Arizona | $52,060 |
| North Carolina | $51,370 |
| Hawaii | $51,200 |
| Colorado | $50,740 |
| Michigan | $50,620 |
| South Carolina | $50,440 |
| Alabama | $49,280 |
| New Hampshire | $48,930 |
| Washington | $48,920 |
| Kansas | $48,380 |
| Indiana | $48,250 |
| Georgia | $47,500 |
| Arkansas | $47,280 |
| Texas | $46,720 |
| Mississippi | $46,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,950 |
| Delaware | $45,380 |
| Kentucky | $45,000 |
| Tennessee | $44,680 |
| Louisiana | $44,490 |
| Wisconsin | $42,510 |
| Montana | $42,260 |
| West Virginia | $41,130 |
| Minnesota | $40,540 |
| Utah | $38,510 |
| Ohio | $38,080 |
| Oklahoma | $37,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,890 |
| Florida | $36,570 |
| South Dakota | $35,820 |
How do private detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Private detectives earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than social workers but more than substance abuse social workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Social worker salary | $73K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $65K |
| Executive assistant salary | $65K |
| Recruiter salary | $64K |
| Interior designer salary | $60K |
| Private detective salary | $65K |
| Energy broker salary | $58K |
| Computer repair technician salary | $62K |
| Insurance appraiser salary | $63K |
| Substance abuse social worker salary | $56K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)