Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in Honolulu
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,830 a year or less, while the top 10% make $85,130 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in Honolulu earn between $43,790 and $68,270.
- $42K10th
- $44K25th
- $46KMedian
- $68K75th
- $85K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,760 | $4,563 | $26.33 |
| Median | $45,750 | $3,812 | $22.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,790 | $3,649 | $21.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $68,270 | $5,689 | $32.82 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in Honolulu vs. Hawaii and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in Honolulu earn about the same as the Hawaii average ($54,920) and 9% less than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is -11% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | $54,760 | $45,750 | $41,830 | $85,130 | 50 |
| Hawaii | $54,920 | $45,750 | $41,830 | $83,050 | 70 |
| 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 Honolulu
On the average salary of $54,760, a single filer in Honolulu takes home about $43,812 a year, or $3,651 a month and $1,685 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Is Honolulu a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Honolulu area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.0), so the average $54,760 buys what about $49,351 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Honolulu ($57,220). A typical home costs $851,163, or 15.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in nearby metro areas
- San Francisco, CA$78,960
- Vallejo, CA$64,790
- San Jose, CA$77,160
- Stockton, CA$61,260
- Modesto, CA$60,200
- Sacramento, CA$58,440
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 Honolulu: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in Honolulu?
$26.33 an hour on average, and $21.99 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in Honolulu?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,830 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,790, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in Honolulu?
About $43,812 a year ($3,651 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,760. Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in Honolulu than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% less 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 Urban Honolulu, HI (46520). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.49, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.49).
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