Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for fire inspectors and investigators in the U.S. is $75,920 ($36.50 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $75,920
- Mean annual wage
- $78,670
- Median hourly wage
- $36.50
- Employment
- 13,800
13,800 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,530 | $22.37 |
| 25th percentile | $58,690 | $28.22 |
| Median (50th) | $75,920 | $36.50 |
| 75th percentile | $95,120 | $45.73 |
| 90th percentile | $118,750 | $57.09 |
Highest-paying states for fire inspectors and investigators
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $122,900 | 380 |
| Oregon | $115,080 | — |
| California | $99,230 | 1,350 |
| Maryland | $98,730 | 270 |
| Nevada | $93,450 | 190 |
| Colorado | $85,750 | — |
| Minnesota | $84,410 | 230 |
| Texas | $82,390 | 1,030 |
| Iowa | $81,860 | 30 |
| Massachusetts | $81,140 | 200 |
Lowest-paying states
- Oklahoma: $37,320 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $52,490 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $55,260 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $55,970 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $57,990 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Inspect properties that store, handle, and use hazardous materials to ensure compliance with laws, codes, and regulations, and issue hazardous materials permits to facilities found in compliance.
- Write detailed reports of fire inspections performed, fire code violations observed, and corrective recommendations offered.
- Develop and coordinate fire prevention programs, such as false alarm billing, fire inspection reporting, and hazardous materials management.
- Examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood, and accelerant residue for use in determining the cause of a fire.
- Develop or review fire exit plans.
- Supervise staff, training them, planning their work, and evaluating their performance.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Postsecondary certificate
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 21.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 28.3% |
| Associate's degree | 16.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 25.0% |
| Master's degree | 4.0% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Security Guards$38,020
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210
- Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940
- Firefighters$59,280
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$33,580
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$106,040
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$93,530
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.