The salary statistics of private detectives and investigators in the industry sector of information are shown in Table 1. In Table 2 we compare private detectives and investigators salaries in different industries within the information sector.
| Percentile Bracket | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Wage | $38,350 |
| 25th Percentile Wage | $48,450 |
| 50th Percentile Wage | $63,110 |
| 75th Percentile Wage | $87,930 |
| 90th Percentile Wage | $126,390 |
Table 1 shows the average annual salary for private detectives and investigators in the industry sector of information. The salaries are shown in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) private detectives and investigators is $126,390. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $63,110. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent paid private detectives and investigators is $38,350.
The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of private detectives and investigators in the industry sector of information from 2012 to 2018.
| Year | Median Salary | Yearly Growth | 6-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $63,110 | 0.32% | 0.90% |
| 2017 | $62,910 | 4.43% | - |
| 2016 | $60,120 | 17.33% | - |
| 2015 | $49,700 | -2.64% | - |
| 2014 | $51,010 | -20.56% | - |
| 2013 | $61,500 | -1.69% | - |
| 2012 | $62,540 | - | - |
The average salaries of private detectives and investigators in three industries in the information sector are shown below. We note that within this industry sector, the salaries vary among different industries. The highest paying industry for private detectives and investigators occupations is the wired telecommunications carriers industry with an annual salary $60,470. The lowest paying industry is the other information services industry (annual salary $36,980). For detailed private detectives and investigators salary information in a particular industry, use the links provided below.
| Industry Name | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers | |
| Other Information Services | |
| Other Information Services | |
Data source: The national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2018 and published in April 2019 [1].