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The average salary for a Detective in U.S. is $90,370.

Annual Average Salary Information

Annual Average Salary: $90,370

$48,040$146,830

Hourly Pay Information

Hourly Average Salary: $43.45

$23.10$70.59

What does a Detective earn?

On average, detectives in the U.S. earn around $90,370 per year. Detectives work to investigate crimes and deliver justice. They may specialise in areas such as homicide, cold cases, fingerprint examination or surveillance. In their roles, detectives interview witnesses and suspects, analyse crime scene evidence and bring cases to closure.

How to earn more as a Detective

To become a detective, you'll need a degree in criminal justice, criminology, or law enforcement. Alternatively, you can go through a degree apprenticeship. To increase your earnings as a detective, you can take on more advanced roles such as a supervisor or investigator. You could also become a private detective and work as an independent contractor. Alternatively, you may wish to consider starting your own detective agency.