Criminal investigator salary in United States

The average salary for a Criminal Investigator is $73,880 per year in the United States. This figure is based on 478 salaries taken from job postings on Indeed in the past 36 months, last updated on August 9, 2026.

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Criminal Investigator salaries typically range between a low of $42,119 and a high of $129,589 per year, depending on experience, location, and the hiring company.

Some of the highest-paying cities for Criminal Investigator include Houston, TX at $126,758 per year, Washington, DC at $105,912 per year, and Denver, CO at $102,584 per year.

Based on recent job postings on Indeed, some of the top-paying companies for Criminal Investigator include MITRE ($257,000 per year) and City and County of San Francisco ($192,046 per year).