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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

33-3021 Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes. Excludes “Private Detectives and Investigators” (33-9021).


National estimates for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Industry profile for Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Geographic profile for Detectives and Criminal Investigators

National estimates for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
107,400 0.2 % $ 44.04 $ 91,610 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 23.07 $ 29.44 $ 41.48 $ 53.14 $ 72.39
Annual Wage (2) $ 47,990 $ 61,240 $ 86,280 $ 110,530 $ 150,570


Industry profile for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Detectives and Criminal Investigators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Detectives and Criminal Investigators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 44,300 0.82 $ 37.88 $ 78,800
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 40,130 1.92 $ 56.05 $ 116,590
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 22,060 1.04 $ 34.56 $ 71,880
Postal Service (federal government) 490 0.08 $ 51.70 $ 107,530
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 350 0.01 $ 35.19 $ 73,200

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 40,130 1.92 $ 56.05 $ 116,590
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 22,060 1.04 $ 34.56 $ 71,880
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 44,300 0.82 $ 37.88 $ 78,800
Postal Service (federal government) 490 0.08 $ 51.70 $ 107,530
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 50 0.02 $ 38.69 $ 80,480

Top paying industries for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 40,130 1.92 $ 56.05 $ 116,590
Postal Service (federal government) 490 0.08 $ 51.70 $ 107,530
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 50 0.02 $ 38.69 $ 80,480
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 44,300 0.82 $ 37.88 $ 78,800
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 350 0.01 $ 35.19 $ 73,200


Geographic profile for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Detectives and Criminal Investigators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Detectives and Criminal Investigators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of detectives and criminal investigators by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 17,890 1.38 1.90 $ 39.90 $ 82,990
California 11,280 0.64 0.88 $ 53.04 $ 110,320
New York 9,950 1.09 1.50 $ 53.07 $ 110,390
Florida 5,950 0.65 0.89 $ 41.03 $ 85,330
Arizona 5,260 1.74 2.39 $ 43.28 $ 90,010


Map of location quotient of detectives and criminal investigators by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,870 4.16 5.73 $ 64.37 $ 133,890
New Mexico 1,840 2.25 3.10 $ 37.25 $ 77,480
Arizona 5,260 1.74 2.39 $ 43.28 $ 90,010
Texas 17,890 1.38 1.90 $ 39.90 $ 82,990
New York 9,950 1.09 1.50 $ 53.07 $ 110,390


Map of annual mean wages of detectives and criminal investigators by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 2,870 4.16 5.73 $ 64.37 $ 133,890
Alaska 110 0.37 0.50 $ 61.74 $ 128,410
Hawaii 430 0.73 1.00 $ 57.35 $ 119,290
Maryland 890 0.34 0.46 $ 56.63 $ 117,800
Washington 1,560 0.46 0.63 $ 53.19 $ 110,620



Map of employment of detectives and criminal investigators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 9,310 1.01 1.40 $ 56.21 $ 116,920
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,730 1.56 2.15 $ 62.60 $ 130,200
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,930 0.48 0.66 $ 56.53 $ 117,570
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 2,800 1.88 2.59 $ 52.77 $ 109,760
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,380 0.87 1.20 $ 35.66 $ 74,160
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,140 0.82 1.13 $ 49.35 $ 102,650
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,110 0.56 0.76 $ 42.03 $ 87,410
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,060 0.74 1.03 $ 48.61 $ 101,100
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,860 0.42 0.58 $ 51.20 $ 106,500
El Paso, TX 1,760 5.55 7.65 $ 43.64 $ 90,780


Map of location quotient of detectives and criminal investigators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 800 23.91 32.92 $ 43.79 $ 91,090
Laredo, TX 1,290 12.67 17.44 $ 41.93 $ 87,210
El Centro, CA 740 11.77 16.21 $ 48.90 $ 101,710
Yuma, AZ 730 10.76 14.81 $ 39.96 $ 83,120
Las Cruces, NM 520 7.22 9.95 $ 42.52 $ 88,430
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 830 5.56 7.66 $ 42.25 $ 87,880
El Paso, TX 1,760 5.55 7.65 $ 43.64 $ 90,780
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 1,520 5.53 7.61 $ 41.23 $ 85,760
Brunswick, GA 220 5.25 7.24 $ 57.93 $ 120,480
Bellingham, WA 240 2.72 3.74 $ 56.19 $ 116,880


Map of annual mean wages of detectives and criminal investigators by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 230 0.20 0.28 $ 63.75 $ 132,600
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,730 1.56 2.15 $ 62.60 $ 130,200
Anchorage, AK 80 0.51 0.70 $ 62.26 $ 129,500
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 60 0.30 0.41 $ 59.39 $ 123,540
Urban Honolulu, HI 350 0.82 1.13 $ 58.46 $ 121,590
Brunswick, GA 220 5.25 7.24 $ 57.93 $ 120,480
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 720 0.30 0.42 $ 56.72 $ 117,990
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,930 0.48 0.66 $ 56.53 $ 117,570
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 80 0.26 0.35 $ 56.45 $ 117,410
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 470 0.36 0.50 $ 56.31 $ 117,110

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,580 10.81 14.89 $ 38.92 $ 80,960
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,550 26.57 36.58 $ 38.60 $ 80,290
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 630 4.07 5.60 $ 39.76 $ 82,700
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 450 2.30 3.17 $ 34.74 $ 72,250
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 320 1.63 2.24 $ 32.41 $ 67,410

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,550 26.57 36.58 $ 38.60 $ 80,290
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 1,580 10.81 14.89 $ 38.92 $ 80,960
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 630 4.07 5.60 $ 39.76 $ 82,700
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 450 2.30 3.17 $ 34.74 $ 72,250
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 140 2.23 3.08 $ 42.46 $ 88,310

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Detectives and Criminal Investigators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 60 0.60 0.82 $ 54.69 $ 113,760
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 50 0.38 0.52 $ 48.89 $ 101,680
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 60 0.55 0.76 $ 44.83 $ 93,250
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 100 1.42 1.95 $ 44.04 $ 91,590
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 300 2.21 3.04 $ 43.58 $ 90,640


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023