Protective Service Occupations

Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary in the United States

DOL-verified data from 80 government filings, with BLS survey comparison.

DOL Median Salary
$61,526
BLS median: $93,580
DOL Median Salary
$61,526
From 80 DOL filings
BLS Median Salary
$93,580
BLS OEWS 2024 survey
Total Employers
30
Companies with DOL filings
Total Employment
110,790
Estimated US workers (BLS)

DOL Filings vs BLS Survey

What Employers File with DOL

$61,526
DOL-Filed Salary Range
$37,107$50,814$61,526$75,000$162,000

This figure comes from 80 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.

What BLS Says the Market Pays

$93,580
BLS Survey Salary Range
$54,160$68,390$93,580$120,080$159,410

This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 110,790 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.

DOL-filed salaries are 34.3% lower than BLS survey data, which may reflect that sponsored positions concentrate in high-cost locations or experience-intensive roles.

Salary Distribution

Top Paying Employers for Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Ranked by median salary from DOL filings
RankEmployerMedian SalaryFilingsvs Market
1The Soufan Group, LLC$97,5005+4.2%
2RosettiStarr LLC$60,5905-35.3%
3STRATFOR ENTERPRISES LLC$55,00013-41.2%
4New Paradigm LLC$51,60513-44.9%

View all companies hiring Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs NationalFilingsEmployers
New York, NY$73,000+18.6%116
Austin, TX$55,000-10.6%111

Salary by State

StateMedianvs NationalFilings
California$103,899-14.9%4
Nebraska$84,301-14.9%5
Illinois$81,226-9.5%1
Georgia$77,000+18.5%1
New York$73,000-29.4%11
District of Columbia$70,000N/A1
Maryland$60,590-51.8%3
Tennessee$60,000-17.6%1
South Dakota$57,491-25.8%1
Florida$56,000-28.5%3
Texas$55,000-38.8%11
Pennsylvania$50,814-48.5%9

Salary Trend - DOL Data

Education Requirements

From PERM filings

For Detectives and Criminal Investigators positions, 100% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 0% required no formal degree.

Education by Top Employer

Most common minimum education from PERM filings
EmployerMost Common EducationMedian Salary
STRATFOR ENTERPRISES LLCNot specified$55,000
New Paradigm LLCNot specified$51,605
The Soufan Group, LLCNot specified$97,500
RosettiStarr LLCNot specified$60,590

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Detectives and Criminal Investigators make?

Based on 80 DOL filings, the median salary for a Detectives and Criminal Investigators is $61,526, ranging from $50,814 to $75,000.

What is the highest salary for a Detectives and Criminal Investigators?

The 90th percentile salary is $159,410 according to BLS data.

Which city pays the most for Detectives and Criminal Investigators?

Based on DOL filings, New York, NY offers the highest median at $73,000.

Does this data include all Detectives and Criminal Investigators salaries or only visa-sponsored workers?

DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Detectives and Criminal Investigators positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.

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Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.