The average salary for a private detective in Oregon is around $76,480 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $76,480.
Wages typically start from $44,610 and go up to $97,500.
3% above national average Updated in 2025
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$46.88 per hour
$97,500 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$44.42 per hour
$92,390 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$36.77 per hour
$76,480 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$26.76 per hour
$55,660 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$21.45 per hour
$44,610 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 Oregon. On average, they make less than insurance sales agents but more than landscapers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Insurance sales agent salary | $62K |
| Librarian salary | $78K |
| Executive assistant salary | $75K |
| Interior designer salary | $66K |
| Drug & alcohol counselor salary | $75K |
| Private detective salary | $76K |
| Substance abuse social worker salary | $68K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $72K |
| Firefighter salary | $71K |
| Landscaper salary | $71K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)