Investigation Services — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the investigation services industry earns $59,183 per year ($28.45/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$59,183
Avg Annual Pay
40,511
Total Employees
5,754
Total Establishments
7
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Investigation Workers Earn?

At $59,183/year (equivalent to $28.45/hour for a full-time worker), investigation services wages are near the national average of ~$65,000.

The typical investigation services business employs 7 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

39.5%

For the average investigation services business generating $1.0M/year with 7 employees at $59,183 each, total payroll represents roughly 39.5% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a investigation servicesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $76,938/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 7 employees = ~$414,281/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $28.45/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $1.0M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Investigation Services revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do investigation services employees make?
The average investigation services employee earns $59,183 per year, which is equivalent to $28.45/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the investigation services industry?
The investigation services industry employs 40,511 workers across 5,754 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 7 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).