Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

33-9021 Private Detectives and Investigators

Gather, analyze, compile and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
26,080 8.3 % $23.37 $48,610 2.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $12.47 $15.88 $21.01 $28.51 $36.47
Annual Wage (2) $25,940 $33,040 $43,710 $59,290 $75,860


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 12,210 1.54 $21.32 $44,350
Local Government (OES Designation) 1,320 0.02 $24.90 $51,790
Legal Services 1,300 0.12 $26.25 $54,600
Depository Credit Intermediation 1,240 0.07 $25.60 $53,260
Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,120 0.06 $24.06 $50,050

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 12,210 1.54 $21.32 $44,350
Activities Related to Credit Intermediation 440 0.17 $21.25 $44,200
Nondepository Credit Intermediation 920 0.16 $21.16 $44,010
Legal Services 1,300 0.12 $26.25 $54,600
Office Administrative Services 460 0.11 $25.23 $52,470

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 510 0.05 $44.64 $92,850
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (8) (8) $35.79 $74,450
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 110 0.03 $35.31 $73,440
Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage 30 0.01 $35.16 $73,130
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 190 0.01 $35.03 $72,860


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 3,700 0.44 2.16 $24.69 $51,360
Florida 2,410 0.34 1.66 $21.48 $44,680
California 2,170 0.15 0.76 $29.39 $61,130
Pennsylvania 2,050 0.37 1.82 $21.58 $44,890
Virginia 1,610 0.45 2.22 $29.78 $61,930




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 1,300 0.52 2.58 $19.35 $40,260
Virginia 1,610 0.45 2.22 $29.78 $61,930
New York 3,700 0.44 2.16 $24.69 $51,360
South Dakota 170 0.42 2.07 $18.33 $38,130
Pennsylvania 2,050 0.37 1.82 $21.58 $44,890




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 340 0.12 0.61 $31.47 $65,460
Virginia 1,610 0.45 2.22 $29.78 $61,930
Texas 1,460 0.14 0.69 $29.72 $61,810
California 2,170 0.15 0.76 $29.39 $61,130
Delaware 30 0.08 0.38 $27.93 $58,090





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 1,830 0.79 3.89 $27.50 $57,200
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 890 0.25 1.22 $19.05 $39,630
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 690 0.18 0.89 $28.15 $58,550
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 630 0.37 1.80 $19.51 $40,580
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 590 0.29 1.42 $31.38 $65,270
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 550 0.40 1.96 $28.84 $59,990
Baltimore-Towson, MD 500 0.40 1.97 $23.09 $48,030
Richmond, VA 470 0.80 3.94 $16.75 $34,840
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 440 0.20 0.97 $21.16 $44,010
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 380 1.78 8.73 $17.78 $36,970




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 380 1.78 8.73 $17.78 $36,970
Jefferson City, MO 70 1.04 5.10 $19.26 $40,060
Richmond, VA 470 0.80 3.94 $16.75 $34,840
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 1,830 0.79 3.89 $27.50 $57,200
Tallahassee, FL 110 0.72 3.54 $16.95 $35,270
Norwich-New London, CT-RI 80 0.64 3.15 $16.93 $35,210
Waterbury, CT 40 0.59 2.92 $13.81 $28,730
Sioux Falls, SD 60 0.44 2.14 $11.93 $24,820
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 550 0.40 1.96 $28.84 $59,990
Baltimore-Towson, MD 500 0.40 1.97 $23.09 $48,030




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 90 0.11 0.53 $38.61 $80,310
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 120 0.12 0.61 $38.25 $79,560
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 110 0.09 0.42 $36.30 $75,510
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 60 0.06 0.31 $35.15 $73,100
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 60 0.13 0.63 $33.83 $70,370
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 590 0.29 1.42 $31.38 $65,270
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 180 0.13 0.66 $30.63 $63,710
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 130 0.11 0.54 $29.74 $61,850
Lancaster, PA 30 0.15 0.73 $29.52 $61,400
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 550 0.40 1.96 $28.84 $59,990

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 150 1.08 5.34 $13.09 $27,220
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 90 0.52 2.54 $11.47 $23,850
Central New York nonmetropolitan area 80 0.62 3.04 $20.15 $41,910
Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 50 0.32 1.57 $13.50 $28,080
Southeastern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 50 0.29 1.45 $14.68 $30,540

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 150 1.08 5.34 $13.09 $27,220
Central New York nonmetropolitan area 80 0.62 3.04 $20.15 $41,910
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 90 0.52 2.54 $11.47 $23,850
Northwestern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 40 0.34 1.68 $25.94 $53,960
Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 50 0.32 1.57 $13.50 $28,080

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 40 0.34 1.68 $25.94 $53,960
Eastern Texas nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $24.13 $50,200
Central New York nonmetropolitan area 80 0.62 3.04 $20.15 $41,910
Southeastern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 50 0.29 1.45 $14.68 $30,540
Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 50 0.32 1.57 $13.50 $28,080


About May 2011 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 mean 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.

(8) Estimate not released.

(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 OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012