Fire Inspectors and Investigators
Fire Inspectors and Investigators (SOC 33-2021) earn a median $75,920 a year ($36.50 an hour) in the United States, with 13,800 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What fire inspectors and investigators do
Fire inspectors and investigators inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine the cause of fires and explosions. Inspectors locate hazardous conditions and fire code violations, such as accumulations of combustible material, electrical wiring problems, and inadequate or non-functional fire exits. They conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems. Investigators examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood and accelerant residue, photograph the damage and evidence, and package pieces securely in bags, crates or boxes to protect them. They analyze the evidence and other information to determine the probable cause of a fire or explosion, then prepare and maintain reports of investigation results and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects. They testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson and false alarms. Education is varied: about 27 percent of respondents report a postsecondary certificate, 26 percent some college courses and 23 percent a high school diploma. Titles on record include arson investigator, bomb investigator, alarm sprinkler inspector, certified fire investigator and canine handler.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a postsecondary certificate as the typical level of education for this occupation (27 percent).
Also called: Alarm Inspector, Alarm Sprinkler Inspector, Arson and Bomb Investigator, Arson Investigator, Bomb Investigator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.37 | $28.22 | $36.50 | $45.73 | $57.09 | $37.82 | 13,800 |
| Annual | $46,530 | $58,690 | $75,920 | $95,120 | $118,750 | $78,670 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where fire inspectors and investigators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $37.41 | $45.98 | $59.09 | $62.85 | $70.08 | $54.93 | 380 | 0.11 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $77,810 | $95,640 | $122,900 | $130,740 | $145,760 | $114,250 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $32.31 | $32.80 | $55.33 | $61.38 | $72.36 | $52.70 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $67,210 | $68,230 | $115,080 | $127,660 | $150,500 | $109,620 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $28.89 | $38.16 | $47.71 | $59.00 | $72.40 | $49.28 | 1,350 | 0.07 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $60,080 | $79,370 | $99,230 | $122,730 | $150,590 | $102,500 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $26.91 | $38.29 | $47.46 | $48.56 | $56.15 | $42.82 | 270 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $55,980 | $79,640 | $98,730 | $100,990 | $116,780 | $89,060 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $31.43 | $37.70 | $44.93 | $50.12 | $53.84 | $44.04 | 190 | 0.12 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $65,370 | $78,420 | $93,450 | $104,260 | $111,980 | $91,600 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $28.89 | $38.16 | $47.71 | $59.00 | $72.40 | $49.28 | 1,350 | 0.07 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $60,080 | $79,370 | $99,230 | $122,730 | $150,590 | $102,500 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $21.09 | $23.37 | $28.90 | $38.98 | $50.32 | $32.58 | 1,290 | 0.30 | 3.39 |
| Annual | $43,880 | $48,620 | $60,100 | $81,080 | $104,670 | $67,760 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $25.09 | $29.09 | $35.54 | $41.82 | $58.76 | $37.11 | 1,200 | 0.12 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $52,190 | $60,510 | $73,920 | $86,990 | $122,230 | $77,180 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $25.00 | $28.95 | $36.38 | $45.32 | $50.74 | $37.71 | 1,060 | 0.11 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $51,990 | $60,210 | $75,660 | $94,260 | $105,540 | $78,440 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $26.74 | $33.35 | $39.61 | $45.53 | $49.11 | $38.87 | 1,030 | 0.07 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $55,620 | $69,370 | $82,390 | $94,710 | $102,150 | $80,850 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $42.76 | $51.82 | $76.55 | $88.18 | $104.66 | $73.67 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $88,930 | $107,790 | $159,220 | $183,410 | $217,690 | $153,240 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $29.42 | $49.07 | $62.22 | $78.99 | $78.99 | $60.03 | 270 | 0.11 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $61,190 | $102,060 | $129,410 | $164,290 | $164,290 | $124,850 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $38.07 | $46.42 | $61.50 | $62.85 | $72.66 | $56.45 | 210 | 0.10 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $79,180 | $96,550 | $127,920 | $130,740 | $151,140 | $117,420 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $32.80 | $32.80 | $57.59 | $70.66 | $72.36 | $52.94 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $68,230 | $68,230 | $119,780 | $146,980 | $150,500 | $110,110 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $27.83 | $39.88 | $51.78 | $61.18 | $72.40 | $50.47 | 100 | 0.09 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $57,890 | $82,940 | $107,690 | $127,250 | $150,590 | $104,980 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.22 | $27.52 | $31.59 | $40.65 | $57.36 | $35.67 | 1,720 | 0.18 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $48,300 | $57,230 | $65,710 | $84,560 | $119,320 | $74,190 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $30.26 | $36.11 | $39.61 | $41.21 | $46.37 | $38.88 | 410 | 0.13 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $62,940 | $75,100 | $82,390 | $85,720 | $96,440 | $80,860 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.19 | $28.60 | $30.00 | $42.69 | $61.74 | $35.80 | 350 | 0.08 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $37,840 | $59,490 | $62,400 | $88,790 | $128,420 | $74,460 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $28.11 | $33.43 | $42.43 | $48.19 | $59.03 | $42.50 | 350 | 0.13 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $58,470 | $69,530 | $88,260 | $100,230 | $122,770 | $88,410 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $18.79 | $21.22 | $28.41 | $38.11 | $47.67 | $31.04 | 330 | 0.12 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $39,080 | $44,130 | $59,080 | $79,270 | $99,150 | $64,560 | ||||
Top industries employing fire inspectors and investigators
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 72.4% of fire inspectors and investigators nationally (9,990 jobs) at a median $77,380 a year ($37.20 an hour), followed by State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (11.0%) and Investigation and Security Services (3.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 9,990 | 72.4% | $77,380 | $37.20 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 1,520 | 11.0% | $71,820 | $34.53 |
| Investigation and Security Services NAICS 561600 | 460 | 3.3% | $54,990 | $26.44 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities NAICS 524200 | 430 | 3.1% | $79,260 | $38.11 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 250 | 1.8% | $84,160 | $40.46 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (13,800). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $64,600 for fire inspectors and investigators in May 2021 and $75,920 in May 2025, with employment of 14,600 and 13,800.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $64,600 | $31.06 | 14,600 |
| May 2022 | $69,450 | $33.39 | 14,510 |
| May 2023 | $74,160 | $35.65 | 14,200 |
| May 2024 | $78,060 | $37.53 | 14,050 |
| May 2025 | $75,920 | $36.50 | 13,800 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
43 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $59.09 | $122,900 | $77,810 | $145,760 | 380 | 0.11 | 1.19 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $55.33 | $115,080 | $67,210 | $150,500 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | California profile | $47.71 | $99,230 | $60,080 | $150,590 | 1,350 | 0.07 | 0.83 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $47.46 | $98,730 | $55,980 | $116,780 | 270 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
| 5 | Nevada profile | $44.93 | $93,450 | $65,370 | $111,980 | 190 | 0.12 | 1.39 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $41.23 | $85,750 | $72,810 | $111,390 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $40.58 | $84,410 | $51,180 | $101,210 | 230 | 0.08 | 0.88 |
| 8 | Texas profile | $39.61 | $82,390 | $55,620 | $102,150 | 1,030 | 0.07 | 0.82 |
| 9 | Iowa profile | $39.35 | $81,860 | $41,640 | $116,040 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.22 |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $39.01 | $81,140 | $56,320 | $125,460 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| 11 | Connecticut profile | $38.70 | $80,490 | $50,830 | $112,340 | 420 | 0.25 | 2.81 |
| 12 | North Dakota profile | $38.61 | $80,320 | $61,810 | $97,400 | 40 | 0.09 | 1.02 |
| 13 | Alabama profile | $37.55 | $78,110 | $50,830 | $95,220 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.21 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $37.55 | $78,100 | $55,320 | $94,540 | 50 | 0.10 | 1.16 |
| 15 | Michigan profile | $37.24 | $77,460 | $45,010 | $100,050 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.63 |
| 16 | Missouri profile | $37.13 | $77,240 | $44,020 | $91,830 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 17 | Nebraska profile | $36.91 | $76,770 | $48,840 | $113,190 | 60 | 0.06 | 0.61 |
| 18 | Florida profile | $36.38 | $75,660 | $51,990 | $105,540 | 1,060 | 0.11 | 1.20 |
| 19 | New Hampshire profile | $36.17 | $75,230 | $64,010 | $90,890 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.78 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $35.95 | $74,780 | $52,860 | $94,940 | 240 | 0.08 | 0.84 |
| 21 | New York profile | $35.54 | $73,920 | $52,190 | $122,230 | 1,200 | 0.12 | 1.40 |
| 22 | Indiana profile | $35.26 | $73,340 | $50,040 | $92,520 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.72 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $35.01 | $72,810 | $58,880 | $125,400 | 30 | 0.04 | 0.42 |
| 24 | Utah profile | $34.98 | $72,760 | $52,000 | $89,440 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.37 |
| 25 | Virginia profile | $33.88 | $70,460 | $52,510 | $90,070 | 100 | 0.02 | 0.27 |
| 26 | North Carolina profile | $32.12 | $66,820 | $39,260 | $90,890 | 870 | 0.18 | 1.98 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $32.02 | $66,600 | $36,980 | $132,370 | 160 | 0.06 | 0.63 |
| 28 | Louisiana profile | $31.16 | $64,820 | $40,660 | $131,980 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.47 |
| 29 | New Mexico profile | $31.09 | $64,680 | $54,870 | $78,530 | 160 | 0.18 | 2.05 |
| 30 | Georgia profile | $31.04 | $64,550 | $42,350 | $93,010 | 300 | 0.06 | 0.69 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | $30.91 | $64,290 | $44,440 | $98,140 | 90 | 0.07 | 0.73 |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | $30.48 | $63,400 | $47,150 | $87,560 | 390 | 0.12 | 1.35 |
| 33 | Illinois profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $35,070 | $125,530 | 440 | 0.07 | 0.80 |
| 34 | South Carolina profile | $29.76 | $61,890 | $43,610 | $78,270 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.53 |
| 35 | New Jersey profile | $28.90 | $60,100 | $43,880 | $104,670 | 1,290 | 0.30 | 3.39 |
| 36 | Ohio profile | $28.50 | $59,280 | $42,580 | $130,530 | 520 | 0.09 | 1.06 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.41 | $59,080 | $35,780 | $95,890 | 280 | 0.05 | 0.52 |
| 38 | Maine profile | $28.00 | $58,240 | $36,050 | $104,440 | ** | ** | ** |
| 39 | Arkansas profile | $27.88 | $57,990 | $42,790 | $83,320 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.31 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $26.91 | $55,970 | $44,050 | $71,290 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.58 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $26.57 | $55,260 | $42,170 | $69,410 | 140 | 0.12 | 1.40 |
| 42 | West Virginia profile | $25.24 | $52,490 | $42,310 | $66,490 | 70 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $17.94 | $37,320 | $31,450 | $98,180 | 160 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (33-2020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Protective Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 33-2021 Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 33-2021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 33-2021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.