Protective Service Occupations

Private Detectives and Investigators Salary in the United States

DOL-verified data from 32 government filings, with BLS survey comparison.

DOL Median Salary
$55,000
BLS median: $52,370
DOL Median Salary
$55,000
From 32 DOL filings
BLS Median Salary
$52,370
BLS OEWS 2024 survey
Total Employers
14
Companies with DOL filings
Total Employment
38,700
Estimated US workers (BLS)

DOL Filings vs BLS Survey

What Employers File with DOL

$55,000
DOL-Filed Salary Range
$39,000$46,000$55,000$73,000$87,500

This figure comes from 32 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

$52,370
BLS Survey Salary Range
$37,250$41,940$52,370$75,310$98,770

This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 38,700 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.

DOL-filed salaries are 5% higher 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 Private Detectives and Investigators

Ranked by median salary from DOL filings
RankEmployerMedian SalaryFilingsvs Market
1PRESCIENT COMPLY LLC$55,0006+5%
2CAPITAL COLLATERAL REGIONAL COUNSEL-SOUTH$48,5009-7.4%

View all companies hiring Private Detectives and Investigators

Salary by State

StateMedianvs NationalFilings
District of Columbia$85,000N/A3
Virginia$75,000+53.9%1
New York$59,000-1.4%2
Illinois$55,000-24.7%6
Maryland$48,547-34.7%1
Florida$48,500-0.8%4
Texas$39,000-18.9%1

Salary Trend - DOL Data

Education Requirements

From PERM filings

For Private Detectives and Investigators positions, 33% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 67% 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
CAPITAL COLLATERAL REGIONAL COUNSEL-SOUTHNot specified$48,500
PRESCIENT COMPLY LLCNot specified$55,000

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Private Detectives and Investigators make?

Based on 32 DOL filings, the median salary for a Private Detectives and Investigators is $55,000, ranging from $46,000 to $73,000.

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

The 90th percentile salary is $98,770 according to BLS data.

Does this data include all Private Detectives and 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 Private Detectives and 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.