Best cities for a special investigator
The best cities for special investigators are San Francisco, CA, Oakland, CA, and Sacramento, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for special investigators vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for special investigators in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a special investigator or considering a move, this list of the best cities for special investigators to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for special investigators. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a special investigator. While the absolute best city for special investigators is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for special investigators in 2024.
If you're looking for a special investigator job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for special investigators in 2025
1. San Francisco, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $95,361 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location quotient: 0.00 2. Oakland, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $95,186 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location quotient: 0.00 3. Sacramento, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $94,957 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Los Angeles, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 15 Average annual salary: $80,605 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 5.71 5. Fremont, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $94,749 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Stockton, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $94,606 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Boston, MA
Total special investigator jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $68,620 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location quotient: 4.10 8. San Jose, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $94,413 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Fresno, CA
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $92,225 Lowest 10 percent warn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Reno, NV
Total special investigator jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $71,336 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Choose from 10+ customizable special investigator resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use special investigator resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your special investigator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for special investigators
- San Francisco, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Stockton, CA
- Boston, MA
- San Jose, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Reno, NV
- (0 special investigator jobs)
- (0 special investigator jobs)
- (0 special investigator jobs)
- (15 special investigator jobs)
- (0 special investigator jobs)
- (0 special investigator jobs)
- (9 special investigator jobs)
- (0 special investigator jobs)
- (0 special investigator jobs)
- (0 special investigator jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a special investigator
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $95,361 | $54,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $95,186 | $54,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $94,957 | $54,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,605 | $46,000 | 3,976,322 | 15 |
| 5 | Fremont, CA | $94,749 | $53,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 6 | Stockton, CA | $94,606 | $53,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $68,620 | $42,000 | 673,184 | 9 |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | $94,413 | $53,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 9 | Fresno, CA | $92,225 | $52,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 10 | Reno, NV | $71,336 | $40,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 11 | Bakersfield, CA | $87,671 | $49,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $84,809 | $50,000 | 614,664 | - |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $65,503 | $37,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 14 | Long Beach, CA | $79,104 | $45,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 15 | North Las Vegas, NV | $65,380 | $37,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 16 | Anaheim, CA | $79,054 | $45,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 17 | Riverside, CA | $78,874 | $45,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 18 | Santa Ana, CA | $78,557 | $45,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 19 | Henderson, NV | $64,699 | $36,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 20 | Irvine, CA | $78,144 | $45,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 21 | Brookhaven, NY | $71,289 | $42,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 22 | Islip, NY | $71,218 | $42,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 23 | Oyster Bay, NY | $71,089 | $42,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 24 | Lubbock, TX | $49,568 | $29,000 | 252,506 | 1 |
| 25 | Hempstead, NY | $71,051 | $42,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 26 | New York, NY | $70,915 | $42,000 | 8,537,673 | 4 |
| 27 | Buffalo, NY | $65,762 | $39,000 | 256,902 | 2 |
| 28 | Columbus, OH | $47,731 | $29,000 | 860,090 | 2 |
| 29 | Portland, OR | $65,658 | $39,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 30 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,673 | $33,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 31 | Laredo, TX | $50,672 | $31,000 | 257,156 | 1 |
| 32 | San Diego, CA | $74,423 | $43,000 | 1,406,630 | - |
| 33 | El Paso, TX | $51,528 | $31,000 | 683,080 | 1 |
| 34 | Chula Vista, CA | $73,871 | $43,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 35 | Anchorage, AK | $64,556 | $51,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 36 | Seattle, WA | $66,322 | $40,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 37 | Jersey City, NJ | $66,053 | $39,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 38 | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,181 | $30,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 39 | Washington, DC | $72,009 | $42,000 | 681,170 | - |
| 40 | Newark, NJ | $66,009 | $39,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 41 | Cleveland, OH | $54,100 | $32,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 42 | San Antonio, TX | $50,273 | $30,000 | 1,492,510 | 1 |
| 43 | Detroit, MI | $54,637 | $33,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 44 | Houston, TX | $49,603 | $30,000 | 2,303,482 | 3 |
| 45 | Toledo, OH | $50,486 | $31,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 46 | Albuquerque, NM | $49,381 | $29,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 47 | Corpus Christi, TX | $50,369 | $30,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 48 | Glendale, AZ | $49,988 | $29,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 49 | Austin, TX | $49,919 | $30,000 | 947,890 | 1 |
| 50 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,942 | $29,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
Highest paying cities for special investigators
| Rank | City | Avg. special investigator salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lompoc, CA | $85,878 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $70,915 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $68,620 |
| 4 | Newington, CT | $64,296 |
| 5 | Newark, DE | $62,585 |
| 6 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,348 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,673 |
| 8 | Southfield, MI | $54,480 |
| 9 | El Paso, TX | $51,528 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $46,755 |
| 11 | Leavenworth, KS | $41,642 |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | $41,007 |
| 13 | Des Moines, IA | $39,743 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $39,723 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $36,245 |
| 16 | Miami, FL | $34,027 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $33,277 |
Special investigator best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common protective service questions.
Search for special investigator jobs
Updated January 8, 2025