Private Detectives and Investigators salary
in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
- Middle 50%
- $50,090–$103,070
- vs U.S. median
- +37%
- Metro rank
- #6 of 36
Private Detectives and Investigators in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro earn a median of $70,150 a year, based on BLS estimates for 430 jobs (May 2025). That is 37% above the U.S. median of $51,220 and 15% above the CA statewide median of $61,250. It ranks #6 of 36 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE430 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Private Detectives and Investigators pay in other CA metros
4 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $61,680 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $59,490 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $51,130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $48,650 |
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RELATED JOBS IN SAN FRANCISCO
Questions
What is the average Private Detectives and Investigators salary in San Francisco?
The BLS median is $70,150 a year (May 2025). Half of the 430 jobs pay between $50,090 and $103,070. The 10th percentile is $46,380 and the 90th is $118,990.
Is San Francisco a high-paying metro for Private Detectives and Investigators?
That is 37% above the U.S. median of $51,220 and 15% above the CA statewide median of $61,250. It ranks #6 of 36 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Private Detectives and Investigators make an hour in San Francisco?
About $33.73 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $70,150 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $24.08–$49.55 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.