SOC 332021

Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions.

National Median

$78,060

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$78,060

Entry Level (10th pct)

$47,580

Experienced (90th pct)

$149,870

Total Employed

14,050

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience LevelEstimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience$47,580 - $60,700
Mid Career2-8 years experience$60,700 - $105,390
Senior / Expert8+ years experience$105,390 - $149,870

Highest Paying Locations for Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan AreaMedian SalaryEmployed
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$149,8701,780
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$137,32040
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$130,940250
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$123,080190
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$121,120100
Washington$116,950330
Oregon$115,240180
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$109,31080
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$102,50080
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$99,31040
Reno, NV$97,74040
Colorado$97,080170
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$96,76070
California$96,1801,260
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$96,18080
Nevada$95,870190
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$95,510250
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$94,94030
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$94,560130
New Haven, CT$93,04060
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$92,610300
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$92,450120
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$90,610220
Maryland$90,610270
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$88,13090
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL$86,95050
Michigan$86,770210
St. Louis, MO-IL$86,25050
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$85,87080
Modesto, CA$85,40030
Massachusetts$84,650110
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$83,370390
Texas$83,370980
Memphis, TN-MS-AR$83,32060
Missouri$83,130130
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$82,890170
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$81,740140
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$81,46060
Fresno, CA$81,33040
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$81,200130
Minnesota$81,200160
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH$80,69050
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$80,430230
Raleigh-Cary, NC$80,29080
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$80,24030
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$80,24080
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$80,140130
Kansas City, MO-KS$78,15060
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$77,71040
Wyoming$77,45030

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Fire Inspectors and Investigators?
The national median annual salary for Fire Inspectors and Investigators is $78,060, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.
Where do Fire Inspectors and Investigatorss earn the most?
The highest-paying metro area for Fire Inspectors and Investigatorss is Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, with a median salary of $149,870.
How much can an experienced Fire Inspectors and Investigators make?
Top-earning Fire Inspectors and Investigatorss (90th percentile) make $149,870 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.