Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,380 a year or less, while the top 10% make $118,990 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in San Francisco earn between $50,090 and $103,070.
- $46K10th
- $50K25th
- $70KMedian
- $103K75th
- $119K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $78,960 | $6,580 | $37.96 |
| Median | $70,150 | $5,846 | $33.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,090 | $4,174 | $24.08 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $103,070 | $8,589 | $49.55 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in San Francisco earn 18% more than the California average ($67,040) and 31% more than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is +37% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $78,960 | $70,150 | $46,380 | $118,990 | 430 |
| California | $67,040 | $61,250 | $42,600 | $103,410 | 4,190 |
| United States | $60,150 | $51,220 | $36,740 | $97,630 | 35,580 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $78,960, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $61,127 a year, or $5,094 a month and $2,351 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $78,960 buys what about $68,297 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 14.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 13 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
All Private Detectives and Investigators salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for private detectives and investigators
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($78,960).
- San Francisco, CA$78,960
- Salem, OR$78,540
- Memphis, TN$78,160
- Portland, OR$77,440
- Seattle, WA$77,230
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Private Detectives and Investigators salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in San Francisco?
$37.96 an hour on average, and $33.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,380 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,090, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $61,127 a year ($5,094 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,960. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 31% more than the U.S. average for this job ($60,150).
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 33-9021; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.3%.
- 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). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.80, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.80).
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