Average Fire Inspectors And Investigators Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Fire Inspectors And Investigators is $78,060 per year. The middle 50% earn between $60,700 and $105,390, with 14,050 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 45 states and 73 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Fire Inspectors And Investigators pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $47,580
- 25th
- $60,700
- Median
- $78,060
- 75th
- $105,390
- 90th
- $149,870
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two fire inspectors and investigators at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for fire inspectors and investigators from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.8%
- 600 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 1,500
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Fire Inspectors And Investigators earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where fire inspectors and investigators work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $116,950, about 49.8% above the national median. At the metro level, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL leads with a median of $149,870.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $116,950 | 330 |
| Oregon | $115,240 | 180 |
| Colorado | $97,080 | 170 |
| California | $96,180 | 1,260 |
| Nevada | $95,870 | 190 |
| Maryland | $90,610 | 270 |
| Michigan | $86,770 | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $84,650 | 110 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $149,870 | 1,780 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $137,320 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,940 | 250 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $123,080 | 190 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $121,120 | 100 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $109,310 | 80 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $102,500 | 80 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $99,310 | 40 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see fire inspectors and investigators pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Fire Inspectors And Investigators rose from $61,660 to $78,060, a gain of +26.6% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $61,660 would need to be worth $75,656 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $78,060 is $2,404 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +3.2% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 3.2%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +26.6%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- +3.2%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Fire Inspectors And Investigators median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $61,660
- 2020
- $64,610
- 2021
- $64,600
- 2022
- $69,450
- 2023
- $74,160
- 2024
- $78,060
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Firefighters
- $59,530
- Transit And Railroad Police
- $82,320
- Fish And Game Wardens
- $68,180
Common salary questions for Fire Inspectors And Investigators
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Fire Inspectors And Investigators workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.