Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay range in Great Falls
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $67,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $167,110 or more. The middle half of detectives and criminal investigators in Great Falls earn between $75,330 and $158,060.
- $67K10th
- $75K25th
- $136KMedian
- $158K75th
- $167K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $121,670 | $10,139 | $58.50 |
| Median | $136,120 | $11,343 | $65.44 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $75,330 | $6,278 | $36.22 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $158,060 | $13,172 | $75.99 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in Great Falls vs. Montana and the U.S.
Detectives and criminal investigators in Great Falls earn 30% more than the Montana average ($93,800) and 22% more than the U.S. average ($99,430). At the median the gap is +45% against the U.S. median of $93,790.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls | $121,670 | $136,120 | $67,200 | $167,110 | 40 |
| Montana | $93,800 | $92,410 | $58,670 | $144,000 | 500 |
| United States | $99,430 | $93,790 | $55,390 | $160,540 | 114,430 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary after taxes in Great Falls
On the average salary of $121,670, a single filer in Great Falls takes home about $88,911 a year, or $7,409 a month and $3,420 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Great Falls a good place for detectives and criminal investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Great Falls area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.8), so the average $121,670 buys what about $125,634 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Great Falls ($46,510). A typical home costs $344,945, or 2.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in other Montana cities
Great Falls ranks 1st of 4 Montana metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
All Detectives and Criminal Investigators salaries in Montana
Highest-paying cities for detectives and criminal investigators
Brunswick, GA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($148,490).
- Brunswick, GA$148,490
- Washington, DC$146,910
- San Jose, CA$144,580
- Oxnard, CA$138,040
- San Francisco, CA$135,460
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Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in Great Falls: questions
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make an hour in Great Falls?
$58.50 an hour on average, and $65.44 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level detectives and criminal investigators salary in Great Falls?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $67,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $75,330, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the detectives and criminal investigators take-home pay in Great Falls?
About $88,911 a year ($7,409 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $121,670.
Do detectives and criminal investigators earn more in Great Falls than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% more 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 Great Falls, MT (24500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.5%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.34, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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