The New York Department of Labor reports a median detective salary in New York of $97,050, which compares nicely to the nationwide median of $76,730 reported by the U.S. Department of Labor. The overall average salary in New York among detectives is $89,070. For those new to the profession, salary is likely to start out averaging around $51,340. However, there is a significant amount of financial potential in that those with a lot of experience have been found to average $107,940 per year, which is about 17.5% above the statewide average.
More specific salary information by city is shown below:
New York City
- Entry: $46,260
- Average: $82,320
- Median: $81,880
- Experienced: $100,350
Western New York (Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls)
- Entry: $61,820
- Average: $84,810
- Median: $78,490
- Experienced: $96,310
Long Island
- Entry: $89,800
- Average: $118,720
- Median: $128,700
- Experienced: $133,180
Hudson Valley (Albany, Troy, Yonkers)
- Entry: $75,970
- Average: $101,340
- Median: $104,010
- Experienced: $114,020
Additional information regarding detective salaries within New York is included in the following table for comparative purposes (US Department of Labor):
Area name
Employment
Hourly mean wage
Annual mean wage
Hourly median wage
Hourly 75th percentile wage
Hourly 90th percentile wage
Annual median wage
Annual 75th percentile wage
Annual 90th percentile wage
Albany-Schenectady-Troy NY
670
40.52
84280
42.60
51.50
55.72
88620
107130
115900
Binghamton NY
90
38.12
79290
38.60
51.18
54.91
80280
106450
114200
Buffalo-Niagara Falls NY
630
41.69
86720
42.37
50.38
57.11
88140
104790
118780
Elmira NY
30
33.28
69210
31.83
40.54
50.62
66210
84320
105290
Glens Falls NY
30
26.12
54330
26.75
31.39
34.30
55650
65280
71350
Kingston NY
50
36.47
75850
33.76
47.02
53.24
70220
97790
110740
Nassau-Suffolk NY Metropolitan Division
1180
57.07
118710
61.92
67.43
70.71
128800
140250
147070
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island NY-NJ-PA
9200
44.96
93520
48.69
58.11
66.54
101270
120880
138390
New York-White Plains-Wayne NY-NJ Metropolitan Division
6620
41.74
86820
46.62
55.45
63.42
96970
115330
131910
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown NY
220
45.11
93820
46.33
52.38
56.20
96370
108950
116890
Rochester NY
260
40.04
83280
41.36
49.30
56.13
86030
102550
116750
Syracuse NY
250
42.16
87700
44.11
52.57
57.37
91740
109350
119320
Utica-Rome NY
70
45.06
93720
48.92
53.28
55.55
101760
110820
115540
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area
410
41.50
86330
44.11
49.99
55.46
91740
103970
115350
East Central New York nonmetropolitan area
40
37.61
78220
35.97
50.90
54.79
74820
105860
113970
Central New York nonmetropolitan area
90
39.55
82260
46.20
51.91
55.34
96090
107980
115110
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area
210
39.05
81220
45.92
51.82
55.37
95520
107800
115160
Back to Top