Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in New Jersey
$116,540avg. a year
$56.03 an hour · 3,080 employed
Detectives and Criminal Investigators in New Jersey earn an average of $116,540 a year. That is $17,110 (17%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430. The best-paying metro area is Trenton-Princeton, NJ at $117,070.
$116,300Median pay
$56.03Average hourly
+10%Avg. pay since 2020
#10Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying New Jersey metro areas
Average pay for detectives and criminal investigators by metro area. Swipe to see all 6.
1370 jobs
Trenton-Princeton, NJ
$117,070
$56.28 an hour
27,580 jobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$113,870
$54.74 an hour
32,160 jobs
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$110,140
$52.95 an hour
4190 jobs
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
$105,870
$50.90 an hour
5120 jobs
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
$102,040
$49.06 an hour
670 jobs
Vineland, NJ
$94,910
$45.63 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in New Jersey, charted
Pay over time
New Jersey, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where New Jersey detectives and criminal investigators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · New Jersey highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $87k$87k–$93k$93k–$106k$106k+New Jersey
New Jersey vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $99,430 | $47.80 |
| New Jersey | $116,540 | $56.03 |
| Delaware | $117,730 | $56.60 |
| New York | $105,880 | $50.91 |
| Pennsylvania | $101,760 | $48.93 |
Related jobs in New Jersey
Average pay, New Jersey, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in New Jersey?
The average is $116,540 a year, and the median is $116,300. That is $17,110 (17%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430.
What is the hourly wage in New Jersey?
$56.03 an hour on average; the median is $55.92.
Where in New Jersey do they earn the most?
Trenton-Princeton, NJ ($117,070), followed by New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ($113,870). The lowest average among 6 metro areas with data is Vineland, NJ ($94,910).
How does New Jersey rank?
New Jersey ranks #10 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 33-3021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national detectives and criminal investigators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.