Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for fire inspectors and investigators is $75,920, or $36.50 per hour. About 13,800 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $122,900 in Washington to $37,320 in Oklahoma.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 43 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $122,900 | $59.09 | 380 | 1.19 |
| 2 | Oregon | $115,080 | $55.33 | — | — |
| 3 | California | $99,230 | $47.71 | 1,350 | 0.83 |
| 4 | Maryland | $98,730 | $47.46 | 270 | 1.08 |
| 5 | Nevada | $93,450 | $44.93 | 190 | 1.39 |
| 6 | Colorado | $85,750 | $41.23 | — | — |
| 7 | Minnesota | $84,410 | $40.58 | 230 | 0.88 |
| 8 | Texas | $82,390 | $39.61 | 1,030 | 0.82 |
| 9 | Iowa | $81,860 | $39.35 | 30 | 0.22 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $81,140 | $39.01 | 200 | 0.62 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $80,490 | $38.70 | 420 | 2.81 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $80,320 | $38.61 | 40 | 1.02 |
| 13 | Alabama | $78,110 | $37.55 | 40 | 0.21 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $78,100 | $37.55 | 50 | 1.16 |
| 15 | Michigan | $77,460 | $37.24 | 250 | 0.63 |
| 16 | Missouri | $77,240 | $37.13 | 110 | 0.41 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $76,770 | $36.91 | 60 | 0.61 |
| 18 | Florida | $75,660 | $36.38 | 1,060 | 1.20 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $75,230 | $36.17 | 50 | 0.78 |
| 20 | Arizona | $74,780 | $35.95 | 240 | 0.84 |
| 21 | New York | $73,920 | $35.54 | 1,200 | 1.40 |
| 22 | Indiana | $73,340 | $35.26 | 200 | 0.72 |
| 23 | Idaho | $72,810 | $35.01 | 30 | 0.42 |
| 24 | Utah | $72,760 | $34.98 | 60 | 0.37 |
| 25 | Virginia | $70,460 | $33.88 | 100 | 0.27 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $66,820 | $32.12 | 870 | 1.98 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $66,600 | $32.02 | 160 | 0.63 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $64,820 | $31.16 | 80 | 0.47 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $64,680 | $31.09 | 160 | 2.05 |
| 30 | Georgia | $64,550 | $31.04 | 300 | 0.69 |
| 31 | Kansas | $64,290 | $30.91 | 90 | 0.73 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $63,400 | $30.48 | 390 | 1.35 |
| 33 | Illinois | $62,400 | $30.00 | 440 | 0.80 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $61,890 | $29.76 | 110 | 0.53 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $60,100 | $28.90 | 1,290 | 3.39 |
| 36 | Ohio | $59,280 | $28.50 | 520 | 1.06 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $59,080 | $28.41 | 280 | 0.52 |
| 38 | Maine | $58,240 | $28.00 | — | — |
| 39 | Arkansas | $57,990 | $27.88 | 40 | 0.31 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $55,970 | $26.91 | 100 | 0.58 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $55,260 | $26.57 | 140 | 1.40 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $52,490 | $25.24 | 70 | 1.08 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $37,320 | $17.94 | 160 | 1.08 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make?
The median annual wage for fire inspectors and investigators in the United States is $75,920, or $36.50 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $46,530, and the top 10% earn $118,750.
How many fire inspectors and investigators are employed in the U.S.?
About 13,800 people work as fire inspectors and investigators nationwide.
Which state pays fire inspectors and investigators the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $122,900, followed by Oregon ($115,080) and California ($99,230).
Which state pays fire inspectors and investigators the least?
Oklahoma has the lowest median at $37,320.
Where are fire inspectors and investigators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New Jersey at 3.39×.