Private Investigators

Median Salary: $42,100

Many private investigators across the U.S. share a few important professional characteristics. For example, self control, independence, and analytical thinking can be essential for success in the industry, especially when mixed with career training. Around 31,250 individuals were employed as private investigators nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's critical to utilize these attributes and receive excellent training, particularly if you're looking to advance in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for private investigators in the U.S. was $42,100 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $20.30. Of course, income can vary with training and by place. Below, you'll find more data about private investigators, including wages and job density for metro areas all over the U.S..

Private investigators should be skilled in:

Oral Expression
Deductive Reasoning
Written Expression
Speech Recognition
Fluency of Ideas

Different individuals go into different careers; private investigators are typically:

Enterprising
Conventional
Investigative

Working as a private investigator requires knowledge in subjects like:

Customer and Personal Service
Law and Government
Administration and Management
Public Safety and Security
Psychology

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals employed as private investigators). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of private investigators in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Birmingham	140	$46,900	$22.50	$56,100	$27.00	15.9%
Mobile	NA	$31,000	$14.90	$33,300	$16.00	NA

Alaska
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Anchorage	70	$59,100	$28.40	$67,900	$32.60	89.1%

Arizona
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Phoenix	400	$39,100	$18.80	$50,400	$24.20	-4.6%

California
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Fresno	60	$52,600	$25.30	$81,600	$39.20	-24.3%
Los Angeles (Area)	NA	$59,400	$28.60	$71,200	$34.20	NA
Oakland	NA	$76,000	$36.50	$91,500	$44.00	NA
Riverside	300	$85,600	$41.20	$110,000	$52.90	3.8%
Sacramento	310	$49,900	$24.00	$73,100	$35.20	50.2%
San Diego	300	$57,000	$27.40	$75,100	$36.10	-1.7%
San Francisco (Area)	NA	$74,800	$36.00	$90,700	$43.60	NA
San Francisco (City)	NA	$73,700	$35.40	$89,900	$43.20	NA
San Jose	150	$77,500	$37.30	$83,600	$40.20	-29.7%

Colorado
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Denver	190	$40,700	$19.60	$50,800	$24.40	-35.1%
Fort Collins	NA	$41,200	$19.80	$51,500	$24.80	NA

Connecticut
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Bridgeport	150	NA	NA	NA	NA	46.4%
Hartford	70	$63,100	$30.30	$70,000	$33.70	-44.8%
Norwich	40	$46,000	$22.10	$50,100	$24.10	19.7%

District of Columbia
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Washington (Area)	1,410	$52,800	$25.40	$76,000	$36.50	46.4%

Florida
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Bradenton	80	$37,600	$18.10	$41,100	$19.80	36.8%
Deltona	40	$36,300	$17.50	$44,400	$21.40	-4.6%
Jacksonville	330	$19,700	$9.50	$26,600	$12.80	135.6%
Lakeland	NA	$57,000	$27.40	$63,200	$30.40	NA
Miami (Area)	NA	$45,800	$22.00	$56,300	$27.10	NA
Orlando	360	$36,400	$17.50	$48,000	$23.10	52.7%
Palm Bay	30	$37,800	$18.20	$58,700	$28.20	-33.5%
Port St. Lucie	40	$37,400	$18.00	$47,700	$22.90	23%
Tallahassee	70	$34,500	$16.60	$38,200	$18.40	79.1%
Tampa	560	$38,800	$18.60	$47,400	$22.80	108.4%

Georgia
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Atlanta	1,030	$37,200	$17.90	$52,900	$25.50	88.3%
Columbus	60	$49,200	$23.70	$55,700	$26.80	114.6%

Idaho
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Boise City	NA	$24,400	$11.70	$48,100	$23.10	NA

Illinois
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Chicago (Area)	1,360	$37,700	$18.10	$53,500	$25.70	55.2%
Springfield	NA	$30,800	$14.80	$33,300	$16.00	NA

Indiana
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Fort Wayne	NA	$57,000	$27.40	$63,000	$30.30	NA
Indianapolis	420	$44,700	$21.50	$50,200	$24.20	104.2%

Iowa
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Des Moines	30	$55,600	$26.70	$73,100	$35.10	-55.2%

Kentucky
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Louisville	60	$30,900	$14.90	$49,800	$23.90	-58.6%

Louisiana
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Houma	70	$37,700	$18.10	$43,200	$20.80	210.9%
Lafayette	70	$41,400	$19.90	$49,500	$23.80	113.8%
New Orleans	NA	$34,300	$16.50	$43,700	$21.00	NA

Maine
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Portland	NA	$33,900	$16.30	$42,100	$20.20	NA

Maryland
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Baltimore	710	$44,200	$21.30	$51,400	$24.70	136%

Massachusetts
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Boston (Area)	NA	$56,100	$27.00	$63,100	$30.30	NA

Michigan
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Detroit (Area)	260	$47,200	$22.70	$56,700	$27.30	-33.5%
Grand Rapids	70	$34,800	$16.70	$47,300	$22.70	-15.9%

Minnesota
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Minneapolis	1,360	$37,800	$18.20	$45,200	$21.70	228.5%

Mississippi
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Hattiesburg	70	$24,000	$11.50	$37,700	$18.10	451%

Missouri
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Kansas City	NA	$38,000	$18.30	$41,700	$20.10	NA
St. Louis	NA	$41,300	$19.90	$48,800	$23.50	NA

Nevada
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Las Vegas	120	$46,400	$22.30	$63,400	$30.50	-41%

New York
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Buffalo	NA	$39,700	$19.10	$42,800	$20.60	NA
New York (Area)	NA	$57,700	$27.70	$73,200	$35.20	NA

North Carolina
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Charlotte	170	$58,000	$27.90	$75,100	$36.10	-17.2%
Raleigh	390	$31,700	$15.20	$45,500	$21.90	224.3%
Winston-Salem	60	$32,300	$15.50	$45,400	$21.90	28.9%

North Dakota
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Fargo	50	$21,200	$10.20	$26,000	$12.50	89.5%

Ohio
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Akron	NA	$51,200	$24.60	$62,000	$29.80	NA
Cincinnati	490	$39,500	$19.00	$44,800	$21.50	106.3%
Cleveland	170	$44,500	$21.40	$54,300	$26.10	-30.1%
Columbus	170	$48,500	$23.30	$62,800	$30.20	-20.9%
Dayton	NA	$40,900	$19.70	$49,600	$23.80	NA
Toledo	NA	$33,100	$15.90	$53,700	$25.80	NA

Oklahoma
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Oklahoma City	160	$42,400	$20.40	$48,300	$23.20	20.1%
Tulsa	NA	$51,000	$24.50	$64,600	$31.00	NA

Oregon
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Portland	140	$38,100	$18.30	$49,100	$23.60	-41%
Salem	NA	$53,400	$25.70	$62,000	$29.80	NA

Pennsylvania
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Allentown	110	$44,100	$21.20	$64,100	$30.80	33.9%
Harrisburg	100	$51,300	$24.70	$70,100	$33.70	41%
Philadelphia (Area)	430	NA	NA	NA	NA	-31.8%
Pittsburgh	890	$31,800	$15.30	$40,600	$19.50	232.6%
Reading	NA	$67,800	$32.60	$77,400	$37.20	NA
Scranton	40	$47,100	$22.60	$59,700	$28.70	-37.7%

Rhode Island
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Providence	50	$42,100	$20.20	$50,900	$24.50	-62.8%

South Carolina
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Columbia	30	$30,100	$14.50	$52,700	$25.30	-58.2%

Tennessee
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Kingsport	NA	$44,100	$21.20	$48,800	$23.50	NA
Knoxville	300	NA	NA	NA	NA	289.1%
Nashville	NA	$29,100	$14.00	$36,800	$17.70	NA

Texas
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Austin	500	$44,200	$21.30	$52,900	$25.40	170.7%
Beaumont	30	$36,600	$17.60	$45,400	$21.80	-14.6%
Corpus Christi	40	$45,800	$22.00	$53,800	$25.90	-5%
Dallas (Area)	380	$44,100	$21.20	$57,300	$27.50	-49.4%
El Paso	70	$36,200	$17.40	$45,500	$21.90	6.3%
Houston	290	$39,500	$19.00	$52,400	$25.20	-52.3%
San Antonio	260	$43,600	$21.00	$57,400	$27.60	31.8%

Virginia
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Richmond	300	$31,300	$15.00	$35,900	$17.30	112.6%
Virginia Beach	70	$42,500	$20.40	$68,100	$32.80	-61.5%

Washington
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Seattle (Area)	NA	$47,000	$22.60	$59,800	$28.70	NA

Wisconsin
City/Area	Employees	Median Annual Salary	Median Hourly Wage	Top 25% Annual Salary	Top 25% Hourly Wage	Job Density
Green Bay	NA	$37,000	$17.80	$39,300	$18.90	NA
Milwaukee	NA	$30,400	$14.60	$37,700	$18.10	NA