Detective Salary

"Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch out after you wear them awhile."

This is an absolutely hilarious take on the police, (I didn't need to say that, did I?) but if you thought that the work of detectives and cops is all hunky dory and all glamor, thanks to Hollywood, it is not the case. It is a big bad world out there and the cops have to be on their toes all the time and rough it up. But what about their salary? Are they paid proportionately? Let's find out.

What Exactly Does a Detective Do?
Detective job description, to start of, as the word suggests, involves detecting crime. He or she does it by collecting evidence and analyzing it to 'detect', that is find out the culprit behind it. In short, criminal cases are solved by a detective. This involves checking criminal records, crime scene investigation, speaking with witnesses (if at all there are any), suspects and victims. These normally start off as patrol officers and then they are promoted as detectives in around 3 years. This is the basic framework, just to give you an idea as to what a detective does and generally about police officer jobs.

What is the Salary Range for Detectives?
A new entrant in this job starts off on a modest $55,000 per annum, (median salary) according to 2009 data. This may be less, depending on education, experience and training. It could go down to even $20,000. As far as specialized crime scene investigators or detectives are concerned, the average salary of a detective with state agencies is around $54,000 annually. On the other hand, if a detective is working in metros and big cities and is fairly experienced and good at his job, it is a quantum leap. These detectives can earn anything from $85,000 to 91,000 annually.

Is the Salary Given by the Federal Government Any Different?
Well, not exactly but yes, they are somewhere between what the state gives the detectives and what is earned by detectives in metros. A crime scene investigator gets around $75,000 per annum and so does a police detective. Their responsibilities at this level are highly specialized and could be sometimes confidential.

Do the Area and Rank Matter?
Obviously enough, the area does matter. If an area has a considerable amount of crime rate, the officers there are certainly going to get paid more. For instance, in the state of New Jersey, police officers earn around $70,000 per annum. This is of course on the higher side. Similarly, salary is determined by rank as well. As per some reports in 2008, the lowest 10% amongst a group of detectives earned between $30,870 to $59,060 and those 10% on the highest pedestal earned around $76,640 and more. So basically the average salary for all the police detectives according to 2008 data was around $64,000.

These are just the approximate figures. These can vary considerably according to geography, specialty, expertise and employer, ultimately. Therefore if at all this article says 30,000 per annum and you do not get that much, don't worry! You would get in the big league eventually!