The median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $62,190 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $79,050.
Pay spans roughly $40,530 at the 10th percentile to $152,080 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $29.90 per hour. An estimated 490 people work as private detectives and investigators in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
| Median (annual) | $62,190 |
| Mean (annual) | $79,050 |
| Median (hourly) | $29.90 |
| 10th percentile | $40,530 |
| 90th percentile | $152,080 |
| Employment | 490 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.