Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in El Paso
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,950 a year or less, while the top 10% make $57,660 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in El Paso earn between $36,580 and $52,820.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $38KMedian
- $53K75th
- $58K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $44,450 | $3,704 | $21.37 |
| Median | $38,070 | $3,172 | $18.30 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,580 | $3,048 | $17.59 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $52,820 | $4,402 | $25.39 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in El Paso vs. Texas and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in El Paso earn 24% less than the Texas average ($58,670) and 26% less than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is -26% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso | $44,450 | $38,070 | $35,950 | $57,660 | 70 |
| Texas | $58,670 | $51,810 | $35,650 | $99,930 | 3,220 |
| 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 El Paso
On the average salary of $44,450, a single filer in El Paso takes home about $37,896 a year, or $3,158 a month and $1,458 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is El Paso a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the El Paso area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.9), so the average $44,450 buys what about $49,437 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in El Paso ($39,510). A typical home costs $232,910, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other Texas cities
El Paso ranks 9th of 9 Texas metro areas for this job; Dallas pays the most ($62,630).
- Dallas$62,630
- San Antonio$60,730
- Beaumont$57,630
- Houston$55,970
- Tyler$54,790
- Corpus Christi$53,070
- McAllen$46,240
- Lubbock$45,660
- El Paso$44,450
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 El Paso: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in El Paso?
$21.37 an hour on average, and $18.30 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in El Paso?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,950 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,580, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in El Paso?
About $37,896 a year ($3,158 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,450. Texas has no state income tax.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in El Paso than elsewhere?
The average here is 26% 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 El Paso, TX (21340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 12.7%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.94, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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