How much does a detective and criminal investigator make in San Francisco?

$126,700a year

Median yearly pay for detective and criminal investigators in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area. That is $60.91 an hour or $10,560 a month.

Hourly: $60.91
Vs. national median: +35%
Rank among cities: 12 of 288
Jobs in the area: 690

Pay range

Lowest 10%: $96,030Median: $126,700Highest 10%: $195,200

Percentile	Yearly	Hourly
10th	$96,030	$46.17
25th	$104,100	$50.05
Median	$126,700	$60.91
75th	$164,700	$79.17
90th	$195,200	$93.84

Other cities in California

Median yearly pay for detective and criminal investigators.

San Jose, CA	$158,600
Oxnard, CA	$153,600
Santa Rosa, CA	$133,100
Los Angeles, CA	$127,900
Riverside, CA	$127,400
San Diego, CA	$124,800
El Centro, CA	$124,000
Stockton, CA	$113,400
Fresno, CA	$109,700
Sacramento, CA	$109,500
Vallejo, CA	$108,400
Salinas, CA	$106,000
Modesto, CA	$104,000
Bakersfield, CA	$96,760
Visalia, CA	$85,740

Detective and Criminal Investigator salary in California Detective and Criminal Investigator salary in all states

Related jobs in San Francisco

Same field, median yearly pay.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detective	$175,800
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Worker	$159,600
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer	$132,000
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officer	$131,600
Fire Inspector and Investigator	$129,400
Firefighter	$113,700
Correctional Officer and Jailer	$99,880
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Worker	$98,590
Parking Enforcement Worker	$86,040
Forest Fire Inspector and Prevention Specialist	$80,100

Salaries for every job in San Francisco, CA

Frequently asked questions

How much does a detective and criminal investigator make an hour in San Francisco?

The median hourly pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $60.91 ($126,700 a year).

Do detective and criminal investigators make more in San Francisco than the national average?

Yes: $126,700 against $93,790 nationally, 35% more.

How does San Francisco compare with the rest of California?

The median in California is $124,800, so San Francisco pays 1% more.

Where does San Francisco rank for detective and criminal investigator pay?

12 of 288 metro areas with data.

How much does a detective and criminal investigator make starting out in San Francisco?

The lowest-paid 10% make $96,030 or less a year; the top 10% make $195,200 or more.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.