The average salary for a private detective in Montana is around $42,260 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $42,260.
Wages typically start from $28,200 and go up to $78,120.
22% below national average Updated in 2018
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$37.56 per hour
$78,120 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$33.46 per hour
$69,590 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$20.32 per hour
$42,260 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$15.03 per hour
$31,260 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$13.56 per hour
$28,200 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 Montana. On average, they make less than librarians but more than postal service clerks.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Librarian salary | $50K |
| Energy broker salary | $42K |
| Clergy salary | $47K |
| Healthcare social worker salary | $49K |
| Firefighter salary | $50K |
| Private detective salary | $42K |
| Real estate agent salary | $44K |
| Hazardous materials removal worker salary | $48K |
| Real estate appraiser salary | $44K |
| Postal service clerk salary | $46K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)