Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $86,990 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in Modesto earn between $43,000 and $78,590.
- $42K10th
- $43K25th
- $58KMedian
- $79K75th
- $87K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,200 | $5,017 | $28.94 |
| Median | $58,460 | $4,872 | $28.11 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,000 | $3,583 | $20.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,590 | $6,549 | $37.78 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in Modesto vs. California and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in Modesto earn 10% less than the California average ($67,040) and about the same as the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is +14% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | $60,200 | $58,460 | $41,600 | $86,990 | 30 |
| California | $67,040 | $61,250 | $42,600 | $103,410 | 4,190 |
| 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 Modesto
On the average salary of $60,200, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $48,746 a year, or $4,062 a month and $1,875 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $60,200 buys what about $57,825 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 7.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 9th of 13 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($78,960).
- San Francisco$78,960
- San Jose$77,160
- Los Angeles$67,920
- Vallejo$64,790
- Visalia$63,810
- Stockton$61,260
- Riverside$61,050
- San Diego$60,370
- Modesto$60,200
- Oxnard$59,960
All Private Detectives and Investigators salaries in California
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 Modesto: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in Modesto?
$28.94 an hour on average, and $28.11 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,000, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in Modesto?
About $48,746 a year ($4,062 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,200. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.6%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).
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