Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in Virginia

$119,620avg. a year
$57.51 an hour · 3,180 employed

Detectives and Criminal Investigators in Virginia earn an average of $119,620 a year. That is $20,190 (20%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430. The best-paying metro area is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $146,910.

$112,760Median pay
$57.51Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
#6Of 50 states + D.C.

Top-paying Virginia metro areas

Average pay for detectives and criminal investigators by metro area. Swipe to see all 8.

14,830 jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$146,910
$70.63 an hour
2130 jobs
Roanoke, VA
$111,420
$53.57 an hour
3460 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$100,380
$48.26 an hour
4490 jobs
Richmond, VA
$99,220
$47.70 an hour
550 jobs
Charlottesville, VA
$94,400
$45.39 an hour
660 jobs
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
$93,860
$45.12 an hour
790 jobs
Lynchburg, VA
$91,860
$44.16 an hour
840 jobs
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
$84,920
$40.83 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.
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Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in Virginia, charted

Pay over time

Virginia, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian

Where Virginia detectives and criminal investigators work

Employment by metro area, May 2025

Average pay by state

May 2025 · Virginia highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $87k$87k–$93k$93k–$106k$106k+Virginia

Virginia vs. neighbors

Average pay, May 2025
AreaAvg. payHourly
United States$99,430$47.80
Virginia$119,620$57.51
District of Columbia$148,110$71.21
Maryland$130,040$62.52
West Virginia$102,070$49.07
Tennessee$87,790$42.21
Kentucky$86,900$41.78

Questions and answers

How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in Virginia?

The average is $119,620 a year, and the median is $112,760. That is $20,190 (20%) more than the U.S. average of $99,430.

What is the hourly wage in Virginia?

$57.51 an hour on average; the median is $54.21.

Where in Virginia do they earn the most?

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($146,910), followed by Roanoke, VA ($111,420). The lowest average among 8 metro areas with data is Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA ($84,920).

How does Virginia rank?

Virginia ranks #6 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.