A salary is compensation paid to an employee by an employer in return of work done by that employee. A salary is usually quoted on a per month or annual basis. High salaries are sometimes referred as high pay, the great deal and big money.
highest police salary in Georgia
The highest police salary in Georgia is $80,122 and the lowest one is $31,000. The average annual salary is estimated to be $60,000. The highest police salary in Georgia can be found in the Orlando metropolitan area where it’s $77,526. There are many factors that contribute to these salaries, such as education and years of experience.
What Is the Average Salary of a Police Detective?
Law enforcement salaries differ depending on the agency and area you work in. Keep reading for more information on the salaries of police detectives and about the job duties you’d have in this profession.View Schools
Job Description
As a police detective, you’ll have completed a police training program and have built several years of experience in law enforcement. You might also pursue postsecondary education in criminal justice. With this background, you’ll be prepared to investigate crimes by gathering evidence and witness statements. In addition to these duties, you have to be prepared to make arrests and follow through with convictions to ensure a criminal receives the correct punishment. Normally, you’ll specialize in a type of criminal activity, like fraud, drug trafficking, cyber crimes or homicide.
Important Facts About Police Detectives
| Prerequisites | High school diploma, or equivalent |
| Key Skills | Excellent oral and written communication, active listener, empathy, leadership, good judgment, insightfulness, physical endurance and strength |
| Work Environment | Office, outdoors |
| Similar Occupations | Correctional officer, EMT, paramedic, firefighter, private detective, investigator, probation officer, security guard |
Salary Information
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted in May 2020 that detectives and criminal investigators had a median annual income of $86,940 (www.bls.gov). In comparison, PayScale.com reported in April 2021 that police detectives had a median salary of $63,017. The BLS also had wage estimates for detectives and criminal investigators at the bottom ten percent and the top ten percent. If you were in the lowest ten percent, then you only earned $46,020 or less. Those in the highest ten percent of wage estimates had annual incomes of $146,000 or more.
Salary by Industry
In May 2020, the BLS reported that the top industries for employment of detectives and criminal investigators were local, federal and state governments. Workers in these industries earned average salaries of $77,120, $111,880 and $70,070, respectively. Additionally, these governments paid some of the highest average wages for these professionals. Other industries with high average wages included the postal service ($104,300) and psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals ($81,770).
Salary by Location
According to the BLS, the states with the top average pay for detectives and criminal investigators in May 2020 included Alaska ($126,340), Maryland ($113,500), Hawaii ($113,150), California ($111,480) and New Jersey ($106,120). Texas had one of the highest employment levels for these workers. Average wages for other states with high employment levels included $81,920 for Texas, $97,000 for New York, $80,360 for Georgia and $85,790 for Arizona.
Salary by Experience
March 2021 data from PayScale.com indicated that police detectives with 0-5 years of experience made a median income of $56,302. Salaries grew to $48,000-$91,000 with 5-10 years of experience, $62,091 with 10-20 years of experience and $82,283 with 20 years of experience or more.
The highest police salary in Georgia is listed as $90,000. Like other states across the nation, Georgia’s cities and counties employ law enforcement officers to provide services to the community. Each city or county can set their own budget for law enforcement pay rates, which can vary significantly according to the region. As of 2015, in Georgia there were a total of 506 sheriff agencies employing 34,328 law enforcement officers who are responsible for enforcing the laws of their jurisdictions.
