Detective demographics and statistics in the US
Detective demographics research summary. Zippia estimates detective demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our detective estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about detectives after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 15,022 detectives currently employed in the United States.
- 17.3% of all detectives are women, while 82.7% are men.
- The average detective age is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of detectives is White (63.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.7%), Black or African American (11.8%) and Unknown (5.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 88% of what men earned.
- 9% of all detectives are LGBT.
- Detectives are 80% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Detective demographics by:
Detective gender statistics
17.3% of detectives are women and 82.7% of detectives are men.
- Male, 82.7%
- Female, 17.3%
Detective gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 82.7% |
| Female | 17.3% |
Detective gender pay gap
Women earn 88¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$59,216
Female income
$52,006
Detective gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in detective positions over time. Currently, 17.3% of detectives are female.
Detective gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 83.97% | 16.03% |
| 2011 | 84.42% | 15.58% |
| 2012 | 81.71% | 18.29% |
| 2013 | 81.71% | 18.29% |
| 2014 | 83.18% | 16.82% |
| 2015 | 81.29% | 18.71% |
| 2016 | 82.39% | 17.61% |
| 2017 | 79.83% | 20.17% |
| 2018 | 81.53% | 18.47% |
| 2019 | 82.49% | 17.51% |
| 2020 | 81.26% | 18.74% |
| 2021 | 82.67% | 17.33% |
Detective related jobs gender ratio
We compared detectives with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, deputy sheriff-k9 handler and fugitive investigator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Matron | 8% | 92% |
| Deputy Treasurer | 19% | 81% |
| Unemployment Examiner | 29% | 71% |
| Detective | 83% | 17% |
| Town Marshal | 96% | 4% |
| Fugitive Investigator | 97% | 3% |
| Deputy Sheriff-K9 Handler | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Detective demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among detectives is White, which makes up 63.0% of all detectives. Comparatively, 16.7% of detectives are Hispanic or Latino and 11.8% of detectives are Black or African American.
- White, 63.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.7%
- Black or African American, 11.8%
- Unknown, 5.0%
- Asian, 2.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Detective race
| Detective race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.7% |
| Black or African American | 11.8% |
| Unknown | 5.0% |
| Asian | 2.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Detective race and ethnicity over time
See how detective racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Detective race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.27% | 11.38% | 2.60% | 15.17% |
| 2011 | 66.56% | 13.61% | 1.97% | 14.59% |
| 2012 | 66.20% | 12.45% | 3.02% | 15.54% |
| 2013 | 65.46% | 13.19% | 1.96% | 17.14% |
| 2014 | 68.80% | 11.52% | 1.78% | 15.56% |
| 2015 | 66.92% | 10.68% | 2.75% | 16.69% |
| 2016 | 66.07% | 11.38% | 3.06% | 16.72% |
| 2017 | 66.02% | 11.95% | 2.79% | 16.87% |
| 2018 | 64.76% | 12.30% | 2.95% | 16.50% |
| 2019 | 66.24% | 10.18% | 2.49% | 18.09% |
| 2020 | 62.37% | 11.42% | 3.00% | 18.78% |
| 2021 | 63.03% | 11.76% | 2.82% | 16.74% |
Detective wage gap by race
According to our data, asian detectives have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown detectives have the lowest average salary at $55,318.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $55,318 |
| White | $59,072 |
| Black or African American | $56,041 |
| Asian | $63,856 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $62,262 |
Average detective age
See how the average age of detectives varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Detective age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 41 | 46.5 |
| White | 44 | 46 |
| Black or African American | 49 | 50 |
| Asian | 48.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 40 |
Detective age breakdown
The average age of detectives is 40+ years years old, representing 69% of the detective population.
Detective age breakdown
| Detective Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 69% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Detective educational attainment
The most common degree for detectives is bachelor's degree, with 54% of detectives earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Associate, 24%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Detectives by degree level
| Detective degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 54% |
| Associate | 24% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Detective jobs you might like
Detective wage gap by degree level
According to the data, detectives with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $68,102 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, detectives earn a median annual income of $64,951 compared to $53,551 for detectives with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $68,102 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,960 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $64,951 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $53,551 |
Detective employment statistics
Most detectives work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where detectives work
Below, you can see the size of companies where detectives work.
Detective jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 39% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Detective jobs by company type
Employees with the detective job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most detectives prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Detective jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 14% |
| Government | 80% |
Detective jobs by industry
The most common industries for detectives are government, utilities and retail.
Detective industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 76% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Education | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Detective turnover and employment statistics
Detective unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for detectives between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Detective unemployment rate by year
| Year | Detective unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.65% |
| 2011 | 2.50% |
| 2012 | 2.26% |
| 2013 | 2.05% |
| 2014 | 1.64% |
| 2015 | 1.40% |
| 2016 | 1.43% |
| 2017 | 1.22% |
| 2018 | 1.60% |
| 2019 | 1.17% |
| 2020 | 1.05% |
| 2021 | 1.42% |
Average detective tenure
The average detective stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,677 detectives resumes in Zippia's database.
Detective tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 9% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 28% |
Detective LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of detectives that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Juvenile Officer | 5.55% | 57,571 |
| Border Patrol Agent | 7.15% | 43,748 |
| Detective | 8.65% | - |
| Court Deputy | 11.11% | 2,480 |
Similar detective jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Juvenile Officer | 5.55% | 57,571 |
| Border Patrol Agent | 7.15% | 43,748 |
| Court Deputy | 11.11% | 2,480 |
Foreign languages spoken by detectives
The most common foreign language among detectives is Spanish at 66.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Italian at 5.5% and Russian is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 66.1%
- Italian, 5.5%
- Russian, 5.5%
- French, 4.2%
- German, 3.0%
- Other, 15.7%
Detective languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.1% |
| Italian | 5.5% |
| Russian | 5.5% |
| French | 4.2% |
| German | 3.0% |
| Other | 15.7% |
