Detective salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a detective is $111,800 per annum, before tax, up $23,000 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Your rank and years of service set the base rate, and each state and territory force pays under its own enterprise agreement, so the same rank can pay differently depending on where you work.
- The detective designation itself usually attracts an allowance, and shift penalties, overtime and on-call loadings can add a good deal on top.
- When you discuss an offer, ask how overtime is worked out and whether on-call hours are paid or built into the salary.
The median salary rose by $23,000 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than detective
The largest typical pay rise is $1,200 a year, moving into Intelligence Analyst.
- Intelligence Analyst+$1,200/yr
- Policy Officer+$1,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher detective salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time detective salary is $111,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Casework and client support tend to command a premium over general detective experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Intelligence Analyst pays a typical $1,200 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Detective salary questions
How much do detectives earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a detective is $111,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is detective pay rising or falling?
The median detective salary is up $23,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than detective?
Intelligence Analyst pays a typical $1,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to detective.
Related salaries
- Police Prosecutor salary
- Intelligence Analyst salary
- Policy Officer salary
- Police Officer salary
- Housing Officer salary
- Social Security Assessor salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.