Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in Colorado
$109,010avg. a year
$52.41 an hour · 1,930 employed
Detectives and Criminal Investigators in Colorado earn an average of $109,010 a year. That is $9,580 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430. The best-paying metro area is Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO at $115,890.
$105,480Median pay
$52.41Average hourly
+17%Avg. pay since 2020
#12Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Colorado metro areas
Average pay for detectives and criminal investigators by metro area. Swipe to see all 7.
11,230 jobs
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$115,890
$55.72 an hour
260 jobs
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
$106,070
$51.00 an hour
370 jobs
Grand Junction, CO
$105,730
$50.83 an hour
430 jobs
Pueblo, CO
$99,580
$47.88 an hour
550 jobs
Boulder, CO
$96,860
$46.57 an hour
650 jobs
Greeley, CO
$96,050
$46.18 an hour
7230 jobs
Colorado Springs, CO
$96,030
$46.17 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 Colorado, charted
Pay over time
Colorado, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Colorado detectives and criminal investigators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Colorado highlighted · tap a state
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Under $87k$87k–$93k$93k–$106k$106k+Colorado
Colorado vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $99,430 | $47.80 |
| Colorado | $109,010 | $52.41 |
| Nebraska | $103,850 | $49.93 |
| Wyoming | $91,890 | $44.18 |
| Utah | $89,940 | $43.24 |
| Oklahoma | $86,620 | $41.65 |
| New Mexico | $84,880 | $40.81 |
Related jobs in Colorado
Average pay, Colorado, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Colorado?
The average is $109,010 a year, and the median is $105,480. That is $9,580 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430.
What is the hourly wage in Colorado?
$52.41 an hour on average; the median is $50.71.
Where in Colorado do they earn the most?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO ($115,890), followed by Fort Collins-Loveland, CO ($106,070). The lowest average among 7 metro areas with data is Colorado Springs, CO ($96,030).
How does Colorado rank?
Colorado ranks #12 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.