Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in McAllen
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $62,580 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in McAllen earn between $36,070 and $48,960.
- $35K10th
- $36K25th
- $37KMedian
- $49K75th
- $63K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,240 | $3,853 | $22.23 |
| Median | $37,090 | $3,091 | $17.83 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,070 | $3,006 | $17.34 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $48,960 | $4,080 | $23.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in McAllen vs. Texas and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in McAllen earn 21% less than the Texas average ($58,670) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is -28% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen | $46,240 | $37,090 | $35,290 | $62,580 | 50 |
| 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 McAllen
On the average salary of $46,240, a single filer in McAllen takes home about $39,334 a year, or $3,278 a month and $1,513 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 McAllen a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the McAllen area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $46,240 buys what about $53,833 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in McAllen ($35,830). A typical home costs $193,978, or 4.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other Texas cities
McAllen ranks 7th 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 McAllen: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in McAllen?
$22.23 an hour on average, and $17.83 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in McAllen?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,070, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in McAllen?
About $39,334 a year ($3,278 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,240. Texas has no state income tax.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in McAllen than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX (32580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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 0.70, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.70).
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