Detectives and Criminal Investigators Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$124,840
Median hourly
$60
Average annual
$121,530
Employed in state
13K
The median annual salary for Detectives and Criminal Investigators in California is $124,840, or about $60 an hour. That is 33% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $78,280 at the 10th percentile to $165,510 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 13K people work as detectives and criminal investigators in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$78,280
25th$99,270
Median$124,840
75th$136,020
90th$165,510
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $60.02
- Daily
- $480
- Weekly
- $2,401
- Bi-weekly
- $4,802
- Monthly
- $10,403
- Annual
- $124,840
$124,840 a year is around the 50th percentile for Detectives and Criminal Investigatorss in California. The median is $124,840.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $158,640 | 280 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $153,570 | 70 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $133,100 | 60 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $130,810 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $127,890 | 3.2K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $127,420 | 1.5K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $126,700 | 690 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $124,840 | 3.0K |
| El Centro, CA | $123,970 | 770 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $113,360 | 90 |
| Fresno, CA | $109,720 | 420 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $109,500 | 1.6K |
| Vallejo, CA | $108,430 | 60 |
| Salinas, CA | $105,990 | 50 |
| Modesto, CA | $104,000 | 90 |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990