SOC 33-3021 · Rochester, MN metro

Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary in Rochester, MN

The average salary for detectives and criminal investigators in Rochester, Minnesota is $78,070 a year ($37.54 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $75,100: half of the 50 people in this job in the Rochester, MN metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 21% less than the U.S. average for this job ($99,430).

$78,070average per year

$37.54 / hourMedian $75,100Take-home ≈ $59,967

  • $53K10th
  • $59K25th
  • $75KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $97K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

50people in this job
-21%vs U.S. average
#3 of 4Minnesota metros
91cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay range in Rochester

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $96,790 or more. The middle half of detectives and criminal investigators in Rochester earn between $59,240 and $96,740.

  • $53K10th
  • $59K25th
  • $75KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $97K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$78,070$6,506$37.53
Median$75,100$6,258$36.11
Entry level (25th percentile)$59,240$4,937$28.48
Experienced (75th percentile)$96,740$8,062$46.51

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in Rochester vs. Minnesota and the U.S.

Detectives and criminal investigators in Rochester earn 11% less than the Minnesota average ($87,860) and 21% less than the U.S. average ($99,430). At the median the gap is -20% against the U.S. median of $93,790.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Rochester$78,070$75,100$53,040$96,79050
Minnesota$87,860$80,000$59,710$115,2101,970
United States$99,430$93,790$55,390$160,540114,430

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary after taxes in Rochester

On the average salary of $78,070, a single filer in Rochester takes home about $59,967 a year, or $4,997 a month and $2,306 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.

Minnesota paycheck calculator: try your own salary

Advertisement

Is Rochester a good place for detectives and criminal investigators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Rochester area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.8), so the average $78,070 buys what about $85,960 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Rochester ($60,620). A typical home costs $343,121, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $78,070 is worth in another city

Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in other Minnesota cities

Rochester ranks 3rd of 4 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Minneapolis pays the most ($93,020).

All Detectives and Criminal Investigators salaries in Minnesota

Highest-paying cities for detectives and criminal investigators

Brunswick, GA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($148,490).

Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Detectives and Criminal Investigators in Rochester, MN.

Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in Rochester: questions

How much do detectives and criminal investigators make an hour in Rochester?

$37.54 an hour on average, and $36.11 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level detectives and criminal investigators salary in Rochester?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,240, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the detectives and criminal investigators take-home pay in Rochester?

About $59,967 a year ($4,997 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,070. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.

Do detectives and criminal investigators earn more in Rochester than elsewhere?

The average here is 21% less than the U.S. average for this job ($99,430).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 33-3021; area Rochester, MN (40340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.