Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in Myrtle Beach
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,260 a year or less, while the top 10% make $89,180 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in Myrtle Beach earn between $40,300 and $63,000.
- $37K10th
- $40K25th
- $50KMedian
- $63K75th
- $89K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $55,500 | $4,625 | $26.68 |
| Median | $49,740 | $4,145 | $23.91 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $40,300 | $3,358 | $19.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30.29 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in Myrtle Beach vs. South Carolina and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in Myrtle Beach earn 6% less than the South Carolina average ($58,980) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach | $55,500 | $49,740 | $37,260 | $89,180 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $58,980 | $51,530 | $37,000 | $93,740 | 620 |
| 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 Myrtle Beach
On the average salary of $55,500, a single filer in Myrtle Beach takes home about $45,410 a year, or $3,784 a month and $1,747 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Myrtle Beach a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Myrtle Beach area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.6), so the average $55,500 buys what about $59,268 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Myrtle Beach ($37,930). A typical home costs $340,239, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other South Carolina cities
Myrtle Beach ranks 1st of 3 South Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Myrtle Beach$55,500
- Columbia$54,860
- Charleston$46,320
All Private Detectives and Investigators salaries in South Carolina
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 Myrtle Beach: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in Myrtle Beach?
$26.68 an hour on average, and $23.92 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in Myrtle Beach?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,260 a year and the 25th percentile is $40,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in Myrtle Beach?
About $45,410 a year ($3,784 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $55,500.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in Myrtle Beach than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% 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 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC (34820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.9%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.81, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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