Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in Dallas
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $107,830 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in Dallas earn between $37,180 and $74,410.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $61KMedian
- $74K75th
- $108K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,630 | $5,219 | $30.11 |
| Median | $61,460 | $5,122 | $29.55 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,180 | $3,098 | $17.88 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $74,410 | $6,201 | $35.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in Dallas vs. Texas and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in Dallas earn 7% more than the Texas average ($58,670) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is +20% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | $62,630 | $61,460 | $36,320 | $107,830 | 1,070 |
| 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 Dallas
On the average salary of $62,630, a single filer in Dallas takes home about $52,503 a year, or $4,375 a month and $2,019 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Dallas a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Dallas area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.1), so the average $62,630 buys what about $60,753 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Dallas ($51,440). A typical home costs $366,823, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other Texas cities
Dallas ranks 1st of 9 Texas metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Dallas: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in Dallas?
$30.11 an hour on average, and $29.55 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in Dallas?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,180, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in Dallas?
About $52,503 a year ($4,375 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,630. Texas has no state income tax.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in Dallas than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (19100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.5%.
- 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 1.15, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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