SOC 33-3021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Detectives and Criminal Investigators — San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · 10 metro areas compared
In San Francisco, CA the median wage for Detectives and Criminal Investigators reaches $126,700 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -0.7%
- Openings per year
- 7,800
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In San Francisco, CA the median wage for Detectives and Criminal Investigators reaches $126,700 a year. That is 35.1% more than the national median of $93,790. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $104,100 and $164,670. The lowest tenth earn under $96,030, while the highest tenth earn more than $195,190.
Employment stands at 690, or 0.3 jobs per thousand held locally. San Jose leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $158,640. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 165th of 688 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $96,030 | +2.4% |
| 25th | $104,100 | +11.0% |
| Median (50th) | $126,700 | +35.1% |
| 75th | $164,670 | +75.6% |
| 90th | $195,190 | +108.1% |
| Mean | $135,460 | +44.4% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $158,640 | 280 | |
| 2 | Oxnard | $153,570 | 70 | |
| 3 | Santa Rosa | $133,100 | 60 | |
| 4 | Santa Maria | $130,810 | 40 | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | $127,890 | 3,240 | |
| 6 | Riverside | $127,420 | 1,510 | |
| 7 | San Diego | $124,840 | 2,990 | |
| 8 | El Centro | $123,970 | 770 | |
| 9 | Stockton | $113,360 | 90 | |
| 10 | Fresno | $109,720 | 420 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in San Francisco run 15.6% above the national average, so the median of $126,700 buys what $109,602 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 16.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$126,700as reported by BLSLocal price level
115.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$109,602US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $126,700 a year, 35.1% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $96,030 to $195,190 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 690 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $158,640.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Detectives and Criminal Investigators in San Francisco, CA?
The median annual wage is $126,700, or $60.91 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $93,790, so pay in San Francisco, CA is 35.1% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in San Francisco, CA earns more than $195,190 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $96,030 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $158,640 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 690 jobs in this occupation in San Francisco, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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