Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in Boise
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $69,710 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in Boise earn between $45,150 and $60,510.
- $40K10th
- $45K25th
- $48KMedian
- $61K75th
- $70K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $53,830 | $4,486 | $25.88 |
| Median | $47,690 | $3,974 | $22.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,150 | $3,762 | $21.71 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,510 | $5,042 | $29.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in Boise vs. Idaho and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in Boise earn about the same as the Idaho average ($54,530) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is -7% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | $53,830 | $47,690 | $39,800 | $69,710 | 120 |
| Idaho | $54,530 | $47,910 | $39,520 | $69,710 | 210 |
| 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 Boise
On the average salary of $53,830, a single filer in Boise takes home about $43,688 a year, or $3,641 a month and $1,680 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
Is Boise a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boise area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.4), so the average $53,830 buys what about $54,710 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Boise ($49,100). A typical home costs $496,288, or 9.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in nearby metro areas
- Salt Lake City, UT$60,460
- Ogden, UT$60,440
- Provo, UT$57,240
- Eugene, OR$65,860
- Spokane, WA$62,220
- Salem, OR$78,540
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 Boise: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in Boise?
$25.88 an hour on average, and $22.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in Boise?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,150, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in Boise?
About $43,688 a year ($3,641 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $53,830. Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in Boise than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% 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 Boise City, ID (14260). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.2%.
- 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). Idaho's zero bracket uses the latest published amount ($4,811, 2025).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.38, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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