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Private investigator salary in Texas

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$51,810median pay per year in Texas, or $24.91 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,650lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,81025th percentile
  3. $51,810median
  4. $72,66075th percentile
  5. $99,930top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $51,220[3]

The median pay for private investigators in Texas was $51,810 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $590 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
3,220[4]
Rank by median pay
20 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
+1.2%[6]

How much do private investigators make in Texas?

Half of the private investigators in Texas earned more than $51,810 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $24.91 an hour[1]. The average was higher, at $58,670 a year[7]. Texas ranked 20th out of the 48 states and DC with a published median for this job[5].

Across the US, the median for private investigators was $51,220 a year[3], so Texas was 1.2% above it[6]. The median for all jobs in Texas was $48,620[8]. Private investigators earned $3,190 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of private investigators in Texas earned less than $35,650 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $99,930[2]. Among Texas metro areas, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest median, $61,460[10]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had a median of $46,110[11].

These figures count people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and business owners. They also skip bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Texas vs US pay

Pay for private investigators in Texas next to the national figures[1][3].

TXUS
Median per year$51,810[1]$51,220[3]
Median per hour$24.91[1]$24.62[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$35,650[2]$36,740[13]
Top 10% earn more than$99,930[2]$97,630[13]
Jobs3,220[4]35,580[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for private investigators, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[11]$61,4601,070
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$46,110710
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$56,760260
El Paso, TX$38,07070
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$57,62050
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$37,09050
Corpus Christi, TX$60,09040
Lubbock, TX$36,64030

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for private investigators in the states that border Texas, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arkansas[14]$47,750370
Louisiana$41,950860
New Mexico$41,600n/a
Oklahoma$39,680370

Median pay for private investigators in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for private investigators are projected to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a private investigator make in Texas?
The median pay for private investigators in Texas was $51,810 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $58,670 a year[7].
How much does a private investigator make an hour in Texas?
The median was $24.91 an hour in Texas[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.14 an hour and the 90th percentile was $48.05[17].
Which city in Texas pays private investigators the most?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest median among Texas metro areas, at $61,460 a year[10]. Corpus Christi had a median of $60,090[11].
Is Texas a good state for private investigators?
Texas had the 20th highest median wage for this job out of the 48 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 1.2% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a private investigator in Texas?
Across the US, the typical entry path is a high school diploma or equivalent, less than 5 years of related work experience, and moderate-term on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not one for Texas.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Texas was $51,810 per year and $24.91 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Private Detectives and Investigators in Texas: 10th percentile $35,650, 25th percentile $36,810, 75th percentile $72,660, 90th percentile $99,930. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in the US as a whole was $51,220 per year and $24.62 per hour, with about 35,580 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,220 people worked as Private Detectives and Investigators in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 20th highest median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators out of the 48 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Texas ($51,810) was $590 (1.2%) higher than the US median ($51,220). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Texas was $58,670 per year and $28.21 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in Texas was $3,190 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 9 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Private Detectives and Investigators, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had the highest median annual wage, $61,460. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Private Detectives and Investigators in the US: 10th percentile $36,740, 25th percentile $40,700, 75th percentile $73,990, 90th percentile $97,630. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in states that border Texas (highest first): Arkansas $47,750; Louisiana $41,950; New Mexico $41,600; Oklahoma $39,680. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Private Detectives and Investigators is projected to grow 5.5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Private Detectives and Investigators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Private Detectives and Investigators in Texas: 10th percentile $17.14, 25th percentile $17.70, 75th percentile $34.93, 90th percentile $48.05. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.