The median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in California is $60,210 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $67,140.
Pay spans roughly $42,430 at the 10th percentile to $102,180 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $28.95 per hour. An estimated 5,260 people work as private detectives and investigators in California.
| Median (annual) | $60,210 |
| Mean (annual) | $67,140 |
| Median (hourly) | $28.95 |
| 10th percentile | $42,430 |
| 90th percentile | $102,180 |
| Employment | 5,260 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.