Average Private Detectives And Investigators Salary in Washington
Private Detectives And Investigators in Washington earn a median annual salary of $64,080, which is +25.1% compared to the national median. There are 750 workers employed locally in this occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates for Washington (state).
Local wage range
- 10th
- $43,060
- 25th
- $46,580
- Median
- $64,080
- 75th
- $84,700
- 90th
- $104,220
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
This local range is the useful part of the page. The median tells you the center of the market in Washington, while the percentile band shows how compressed or wide the local pay distribution actually is.
Cost-of-living context
Services: 92.9%
Rents: 126.0%
Comparable states for this occupation
| State | Median annual wage | Compare | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $76,480 | Compare | 610 |
| Connecticut | $75,010 | Compare | 400 |
| District of Columbia | $72,720 | Compare | N/A |
| Vermont | $67,910 | Compare | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $65,370 | Compare | 280 |
| California | $61,250 | Compare | 4,190 |
The point of this table is not random nearby places. It is to show the other labor markets where this same occupation looks stronger or weaker on the same OEWS release.
Top occupations in Washington
| Occupation | Median annual wage | LQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $656,330 | 0.51 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $553,310 | 0.91 |
| Dermatologists | $526,170 | 0.64 |
| Anesthesiologists | $499,990 | 1.74 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $479,460 | 0.65 |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $380,870 | N/A |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $343,140 | 0.56 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $340,010 | 0.72 |
Washington has salary data for 765 occupations. The highest-paid occupation in this area is Cardiologists.
Trend for Private Detectives And Investigators in Washington
Historical trend data is not yet available for this occupation in this area.
Outlook and page notes
Nationally, Private Detectives And Investigators are projected to change by +6.0% from 2024 to 2034, with 3,900 annual openings.
Use this page to answer three separate questions: what the occupation pays here, how large the local market is, and whether this market is unusually concentrated for the occupation.
For metro pages in particular, read long-term trend rows as directional until the area comparability layer is fully wired. OEWS area definitions can change over time, and that matters more at the metro level than at the state level.