The average salary for a private detective in Delaware is around $55,710 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $55,710.
Wages typically start from $40,400 and go up to $80,700.
21% below national average Updated in 2025
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$38.80 per hour
$80,700 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$32.60 per hour
$67,800 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$26.78 per hour
$55,710 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$22.85 per hour
$47,520 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$19.42 per hour
$40,400 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Private detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $76,480 |
| Connecticut | $75,010 |
| District of Columbia | $72,720 |
| Nevada | $69,300 |
| Vermont | $67,910 |
| New Hampshire | $65,370 |
| Washington | $64,080 |
| California | $61,250 |
| Arizona | $61,030 |
| Illinois | $60,210 |
| New York | $59,140 |
| Utah | $57,910 |
| Minnesota | $57,880 |
| Maryland | $56,580 |
| Virginia | $56,160 |
| Delaware | $55,710 |
| New Jersey | $54,710 |
| Rhode Island | $54,620 |
| Wyoming | $54,310 |
| Alaska | $53,440 |
| North Carolina | $52,890 |
| Texas | $51,810 |
| Nebraska | $51,750 |
| South Carolina | $51,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,200 |
| Florida | $50,640 |
| Massachusetts | $50,240 |
| Tennessee | $49,360 |
| Colorado | $48,730 |
| Michigan | $48,650 |
| Idaho | $47,910 |
| Arkansas | $47,750 |
| Kentucky | $47,650 |
| Montana | $47,430 |
| Ohio | $47,200 |
| Alabama | $46,810 |
| West Virginia | $46,410 |
| Hawaii | $45,750 |
| Kansas | $45,260 |
| Georgia | $45,060 |
| South Dakota | $44,840 |
| North Dakota | $44,310 |
| Maine | $43,830 |
| Louisiana | $41,950 |
| Wisconsin | $41,850 |
| Indiana | $41,830 |
| Missouri | $41,600 |
| New Mexico | $41,600 |
| Iowa | $41,110 |
| Oklahoma | $39,680 |
| Mississippi | $39,060 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,890 |
How do private detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Private detectives earn about the same as related careers in Delaware. On average, they make less than postal service workers but more than drug & alcohol counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Postal service worker salary | $62K |
| Postal service clerk salary | $62K |
| Insurance sales agent salary | $47K |
| Substance abuse social worker salary | $60K |
| Court reporter salary | $45K |
| Private detective salary | $56K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $53K |
| Real estate agent salary | $47K |
| Garbage collector salary | $61K |
| Drug & alcohol counselor salary | $56K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)