As of April 01, 2025, the average hourly pay of Private Investigator in the United States is $25. While Salary.com is seeing that Private Investigator salary in the US can go up to $35 or down to $16, but most earn between $20 and $30. Salary.com shows the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Private Investigator in the United States.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $30 | $3 | $1 | $0 |
| Average | $25 | $2 | $0 | $0 |
| 25th Percentile | $20 | $2 | $0 | $0 |
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from state to state due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Private Investigator is $57,602 in California and in Massachusetts, the average annual salary goes to $56,802. While in New Jersey, a Private Investigator earns $56,602 per year.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from city to city due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Private Investigator in San Francisco, CA is $65,202 and in New York, NY, the average annual salary goes to $60,502. While a Private Investigator earns $58,202 per year in Boston, MA.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Private Investigator information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Private Investigator job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Private Investigator and their salaries, click below for more details.
The Private Investigator may require an associate's degree or its equivalent and 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Conducts private investigations to locate missing persons, obtains confidential information, and solves crimes. Being a Private Investigator relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Is familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. In addition, Private Investigator performs a variety of complicated tasks. Typically reports to an executive or head of a unit/department. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.
