Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in Salem
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $57,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $93,620 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in Salem earn between $67,170 and $93,620.
- $57K10th
- $67K25th
- $81KMedian
- $94K75th
- $94K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $78,540 | $6,545 | $37.76 |
| Median | $81,070 | $6,756 | $38.98 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $67,170 | $5,598 | $32.29 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $93,620 | $7,802 | $45.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary after taxes in Salem
On the average salary of $78,540, a single filer in Salem takes home about $58,507 a year, or $4,876 a month and $2,250 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Salem a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salem area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $78,540 buys what about $75,775 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Salem ($55,310). A typical home costs $454,689, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other Oregon cities
Salem ranks 1st of 3 Oregon metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
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 Salem: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in Salem?
$37.76 an hour on average, and $38.98 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in Salem?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $57,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $67,170, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in Salem?
About $58,507 a year ($4,876 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $78,540. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in Salem than elsewhere?
The average here is 29% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($61,015).
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 Salem, OR (41420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 4.28, this job is 4.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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