The average salary for a private detective in District of Columbia is around $68,940 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $68,940.
Wages typically start from $38,740 and go up to $104,400.
16% below national average Updated in 2018
Private detective earnings by seniority
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$50.19 per hour
$104,400 per year
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$42.66 per hour
$88,740 per year
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$33.14 per hour
$68,940 per year
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$25.51 per hour
$53,060 per year
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$18.62 per hour
$38,740 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 District of Columbia. On average, they make less than interior designers but more than family social workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Interior designer salary | $73K |
| Energy broker salary | $65K |
| Fire inspector salary | $82K |
| Insurance sales agent salary | $56K |
| Police officer salary | $72K |
| Private detective salary | $69K |
| Healthcare social worker salary | $71K |
| Executive assistant salary | $70K |
| Computer repair technician salary | $66K |
| Family social worker salary | $68K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)