What education do fire inspectors and investigators need?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education to start, plus 5 years or more of related work experience. The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links one program here to fire inspectors and investigators: Fire Science (Certificate).

Fire Inspectors and Investigators: Pay by State and the Programs That Lead There

Q: Which state pays fire inspectors and investigators the most?

Washington, at a median of $122,900. After adjusting for prices, Washington is highest, at $114,846 in US-average prices.

13,800 jobs in the US
Typical education to start: postsecondary nondegree award
Occupation code 33-2021

BLS wages May 2025 · BLS projections 2025 to 2035 · BEA price parities 2024

The short answer

Fire inspectors and investigators earn a median of $75,920 a year in the US, across all experience levels. Pay is highest in Washington ($122,900) and lowest in Oklahoma ($37,320). After adjusting for prices, Washington is highest ($114,846) and Oklahoma lowest ($42,485). Jobs are projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,600 openings a year across the US.

Median pay$75,920US, all experience levels

Bottom 10% earn under$46,530US

Top 10% earn over$118,750US

Projected job growth4%2025 to 2035, about 1,600 openings a year

Pay for fire inspectors and investigators by state

Median pay across all experience levels. "After prices" divides it by the state's price level (US average = 100), so states can be compared by what the pay buys.

#	State	Median pay	After prices	Jobs	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
1	Washington	$122,900	$114,846	380	$77,810	$145,760
2	Oregon	$115,080	$111,338	Not reported	$67,210	$150,500
3	California	$99,230	$89,622	1,350	$60,080	$150,590
4	Maryland	$98,730	$94,065	270	$55,980	$116,780
5	Nevada	$93,450	$93,470	190	$65,370	$111,980
6	Colorado	$85,750	$83,210	Not reported	$72,810	$111,390
7	Minnesota	$84,410	$85,590	230	$51,180	$101,210
8	Texas	$82,390	$84,888	1,030	$55,620	$102,150
9	Iowa	$81,860	$93,275	30	$41,640	$116,040
10	Massachusetts	$81,140	$76,723	200	$56,320	$125,460
11	Connecticut	$80,490	$77,686	420	$50,830	$112,340
12	North Dakota	$80,320	$90,289	40	$61,810	$97,400
13	Alabama	$78,110	$87,939	40	$50,830	$95,220
14	Rhode Island	$78,100	$76,359	50	$55,320	$94,540
15	Michigan	$77,460	$80,506	250	$45,010	$100,050
16	Missouri	$77,240	$85,050	110	$44,020	$91,830
17	Nebraska	$76,770	$85,202	60	$48,840	$113,190
18	Florida	$75,660	$73,162	1,060	$51,990	$105,540
19	New Hampshire	$75,230	$72,222	50	$64,010	$90,890
20	Arizona	$74,780	$74,277	240	$52,860	$94,940
21	New York	$73,920	$68,495	1,200	$52,190	$122,230
22	Indiana	$73,340	$78,582	200	$50,040	$92,520
23	Idaho	$72,810	$76,246	30	$58,880	$125,400
24	Utah	$72,760	$73,596	60	$52,000	$89,440
25	Virginia	$70,460	$69,691	100	$52,510	$90,070
26	North Carolina	$66,820	$70,839	870	$39,260	$90,890
27	Wisconsin	$66,600	$70,780	160	$36,980	$132,370
28	Louisiana	$64,820	$73,486	80	$40,660	$131,980
29	New Mexico	$64,680	$70,143	160	$54,870	$78,530
30	Georgia	$64,550	$67,035	300	$42,350	$93,010
31	Kansas	$64,290	$71,379	90	$44,440	$98,140
32	Tennessee	$63,400	$69,011	390	$47,150	$87,560
33	Illinois	$62,400	$62,426	440	$35,070	$125,530
34	South Carolina	$61,890	$66,017	110	$43,610	$78,270
35	New Jersey	$60,100	$55,236	1,290	$43,880	$104,670
36	Ohio	$59,280	$63,897	520	$42,580	$130,530
37	Pennsylvania	$59,080	$60,550	280	$35,780	$95,890
38	Maine	$58,240	$60,010	Not reported	$36,050	$104,440
39	Arkansas	$57,990	$66,703	40	$42,790	$83,320
40	Kentucky	$55,970	$62,079	100	$44,050	$71,290
41	Mississippi	$55,260	$63,552	140	$42,170	$69,410
42	West Virginia	$52,490	$58,650	70	$42,310	$66,490
43	Oklahoma	$37,320	$42,485	160	$31,450	$98,180

State names link to the state's college page. BLS publishes no median pay for fire inspectors and investigators in 9 other states and territories.

Programs that lead to this job

The federal crosswalk from fields of study to jobs links these programs to fire inspectors and investigators. Figures are medians across each program type's US programs. Program names link to the national ranking.

Program	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
Fire Science (Certificate)	25	$47,024	$9,557

Program figures are first-year pay for new graduates. The job's median pay covers every experience level.

Common questions

Fire inspectors and investigators earn a median of $75,920 a year in the US, across all experience levels (May 2025). The bottom 10% earn less than $46,530, and the top 10% more than $118,750.

About this data

Pay is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025. It covers all experience levels and all industries, and leaves out self-employed workers.
Projections are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections for 2025 to 2035, for the whole US.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.
Program figures are College Scorecard medians across programs, and only include students who received federal financial aid.

Sources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study files, June 2026 release