The median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $77,680 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $74,840.
Pay spans roughly $44,100 at the 10th percentile to $99,500 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $37.35 per hour. An estimated 1,320 people work as private detectives and investigators in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $77,680 |
| Mean (annual) | $74,840 |
| Median (hourly) | $37.35 |
| 10th percentile | $44,100 |
| 90th percentile | $99,500 |
| Employment | 1,320 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.