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Investigative specialist salary
Average investigative specialist salary
$50,153
Average Investigative Specialist Salary
As of October 2025, an Investigative Specialist earns an average salary of $50,153 per year in the United States. This equates to approximately $24 per hour. Salaries for this role vary by location, experience level, and specialization.
Salary by State
Investigative Specialists can expect different salaries based on their state. States with higher living costs often offer higher salaries. For instance, states like California and New York typically provide better compensation to attract skilled professionals.
Top Paying Cities
Salary can significantly differ across cities. Major metropolitan areas tend to offer the most competitive salaries. Researching cities with the highest demand for investigative specialists can lead to better job opportunities.
Career Advancement
Experience plays a critical role in salary advancement. Entry-level roles may start lower, but with experience, certifications, and specialization, professionals can increase their earnings over time. Understanding these salary dynamics is essential for those looking to enter or progress in this field.
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Where can an Investigative Specialist earn more?
Average investigative specialist salary by state
The average investigative specialist salary in Delaware, New York, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average investigative specialist salary states are South Carolina, Idaho, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for investigative specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $74,824 | $35.97 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $85,948 | $41.32 |
| 3 | Montana | $64,515 | $31.02 |
| 4 | New York | $71,886 | $34.56 |
| 5 | Maryland | $69,354 | $33.34 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $69,481 | $33.40 |
| 7 | Ohio | $57,454 | $27.62 |
| 8 | Texas | $64,943 | $31.22 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $67,688 | $32.54 |
| 10 | Alabama | $62,226 | $29.92 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $62,060 | $29.84 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $57,603 | $27.69 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $56,660 | $27.24 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $58,697 | $28.22 |
| 15 | Nevada | $57,909 | $27.84 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $62,245 | $29.93 |
| 17 | Oregon | $57,198 | $27.50 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $56,068 | $26.96 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $57,614 | $27.70 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $63,161 | $30.37 |
| 21 | Illinois | $60,363 | $29.02 |
| 22 | Alaska | $54,666 | $26.28 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $61,084 | $29.37 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $56,264 | $27.05 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $56,268 | $27.05 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $51,406 | $24.71 |
| 27 | Utah | $54,003 | $25.96 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $52,798 | $25.38 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $60,190 | $28.94 |
| 30 | Vermont | $56,654 | $27.24 |
| 31 | Washington | $56,465 | $27.15 |
| 32 | Virginia | $54,895 | $26.39 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $55,475 | $26.67 |
| 34 | Missouri | $50,850 | $24.45 |
| 35 | Iowa | $51,968 | $24.98 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $49,677 | $23.88 |
| 37 | California | $54,258 | $26.09 |
| 38 | Michigan | $49,487 | $23.79 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $50,493 | $24.28 |
| 40 | New Jersey | $55,645 | $26.75 |
| 41 | Maine | $53,485 | $25.71 |
| 42 | Georgia | $49,699 | $23.89 |
| 43 | Kansas | $51,434 | $24.73 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $49,337 | $23.72 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $36,277 | $17.44 |
| 46 | Arizona | $40,084 | $19.27 |
| 47 | Idaho | $42,235 | $20.31 |
| 48 | Florida | $40,924 | $19.68 |
| 49 | Colorado | $46,167 | $22.20 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $43,388 | $20.86 |
| 51 | Indiana | $39,631 | $19.05 |
Highest paying cities for investigative specialists
The highest-paying cities for investigative specialists are Washington, DC, White Plains, NY, and Greenville, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $85,963 | $41.33 |
| 2 | White Plains, NY | $72,107 | $34.67 |
| 3 | Greenville, NC | $71,781 | $34.51 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $69,664 | $33.49 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $65,093 | $31.29 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $63,114 | $30.34 |
| 7 | Saint Paul, MN | $61,149 | $29.40 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $60,872 | $29.27 |
| 9 | Sacramento, CA | $58,348 | $28.05 |
| 10 | Baton Rouge, LA | $57,687 | $27.73 |
| 11 | Westerville, OH | $57,203 | $27.50 |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $56,860 | $27.34 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $56,769 | $27.29 |
| 14 | Alexandria, VA | $56,716 | $27.27 |
| 15 | Piscataway, NJ | $55,544 | $26.70 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | $54,170 | $26.04 |
| 17 | Midvale, UT | $53,759 | $25.85 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $51,287 | $24.66 |
| 19 | Omaha, NE | $49,785 | $23.94 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $49,745 | $23.92 |
Investigative specialist salary details
An investigative specialist's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an investigative specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $50,153 | $4,179 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying investigative specialist jobs
The highest paying types of investigative specialists are staff specialist, investigator, and lead investigator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Store Detective | $32,824 | $2,735 | $15.78 | 67,322 |
| Background Investigator | $51,076 | $4,256 | $24.56 | 4,428 |
| Private Investigator | $48,019 | $4,002 | $23.09 | 6,675 |
| Lead Investigator | $60,060 | $5,005 | $28.88 | 21,299 |
| Investigator | $71,406 | $5,950 | $34.33 | 5,085 |
Top companies hiring investigative specialists now:
Which companies pay investigative specialists the most?
Investigative specialist salaries at BP America Inc and Berkshire Hathaway are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average investigative specialist salary at companies like Goldman Sachs and Regeneron are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BP America Inc | $107,669 | $51.76 |
| 2 | Berkshire Hathaway | $97,296 | $46.78 |
| 3 | Goldman Sachs | $95,792 | $46.05 |
| 4 | Regeneron | $93,264 | $44.84 |
| 5 | Department of Homeland Security | $89,464 | $43.01 |
| 6 | BNY Mellon | $87,647 | $42.14 |
| 7 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $83,742 | $40.26 |
| 8 | Johnson & Johnson | $79,960 | $38.44 |
| 9 | City of Seattle | $79,889 | $38.41 |
| 10 | McKesson | $77,993 | $37.50 |
| 11 | National Grid plc | $77,727 | $37.37 |
| 12 | Federal Bureau of Investigation | $72,919 | $35.06 |
| 13 | Chicago Public Schools | $69,948 | $33.63 |
| 14 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $69,907 | $33.61 |
| 15 | ConnectiveRx | $69,342 | $33.34 |
| 16 | City of Baltimore | $65,512 | $31.50 |
| 17 | Warner Bros. | $65,439 | $31.46 |
| 18 | Eurofins | $61,198 | $29.42 |
| 19 | Minnesota State Fair | $59,815 | $28.76 |
| 20 | New York State Restaurant Association | $59,204 | $28.46 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Investigative specialist salary trends
The average investigative specialist salary has risen by $9,039 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average investigative specialist earned $41,114 annually, but today, they earn $50,153 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for investigative specialists over the last decade.
Compare investigative specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average investigative specialist salary over time
Compare investigative specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Investigative specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $50,200 | $24.11 | +5.3% |
| 2025 | $47,500 | $22.84 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | $47,100 | $22.65 | -1.2% |
| 2023 | $47,700 | $22.93 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | $45,300 | $21.79 | +5.4% |
Recently added investigative specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stonybrooku | Investigator Initiated Trial Specialist-Clinical Trials | Stony Brook, NY | 06/29/2025 | $83,858 |
| Elara Holdings | Clinical Risk and Safety Investigations Specialist | Dallas, TX | 06/28/2025 | $78,000 |
| Peraton | EEO Investigation Specialist | Bethesda, MD | 06/27/2025 | $112,000 |
| State of Arizona | Civilian Investigator Specialist (UNC) | Phoenix, AZ | 06/25/2025 | $61,515 |
| Arizona Department of Administration | Civilian Investigator Specialist (UNC) | Phoenix, AZ | 06/24/2025 | $61,515 |
| State of Louisiana | Investigative Specialist 1 | Noble, LA | 06/21/2025 | $35,064 |
| State of New York | Investigative Specialist 1 Beverage Control (NY Helps)-VID 190431 | New York, NY | 06/18/2025 | $53,764 |
| State of Kansas | Intake Investigative Specialist | Shawnee, KS | 06/18/2025 | $51,000 |
| State of Florida | Investigation Specialist II | Orlando, FL | 06/16/2025 | $44,381 |
| State of Minnesota | Senior Investigator-Investigation Specialist | Minneapolis, MN | 06/13/2025 | $66,648 |
Investigative specialist salary FAQs
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