Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay range in Buffalo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,410 a year or less, while the top 10% make $151,510 or more. The middle half of detectives and criminal investigators in Buffalo earn between $83,850 and $114,300.
- $60K10th
- $84K25th
- $95KMedian
- $114K75th
- $152K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $101,260 | $8,438 | $48.68 |
| Median | $95,150 | $7,929 | $45.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $83,850 | $6,988 | $40.31 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $114,300 | $9,525 | $54.95 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in Buffalo vs. New York and the U.S.
Detectives and criminal investigators in Buffalo earn 4% less than the New York average ($105,880) and about the same as the U.S. average ($99,430). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $93,790.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | $101,260 | $95,150 | $60,410 | $151,510 | 850 |
| New York | $105,880 | $101,240 | $62,130 | $166,800 | 9,600 |
| 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 Buffalo
On the average salary of $101,260, a single filer in Buffalo takes home about $75,039 a year, or $6,253 a month and $2,886 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Buffalo a good place for detectives and criminal investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Buffalo area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.8), so the average $101,260 buys what about $105,651 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Buffalo ($50,790). A typical home costs $288,316, or 2.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in other New York cities
Buffalo ranks 3rd of 11 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($113,870).
- New York$113,870
- Kiryas Joel$112,730
- Buffalo$101,260
- Watertown$100,370
- Rochester$99,670
- Albany$97,430
- Syracuse$95,600
- Utica$94,050
- Binghamton$91,760
- Kingston$86,770
All Detectives and Criminal Investigators salaries in New York
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 Buffalo: questions
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make an hour in Buffalo?
$48.68 an hour on average, and $45.75 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level detectives and criminal investigators salary in Buffalo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,410 a year and the 25th percentile is $83,850, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the detectives and criminal investigators take-home pay in Buffalo?
About $75,039 a year ($6,253 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $101,260. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do detectives and criminal investigators earn more in Buffalo than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (15380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.2%.
- 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 (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.17, this job is 2.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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