How much does a fire inspector and investigator make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $36.50 an hour or $6,327 a month.
- Hourly
- $36.50
- Average (mean)
- $78,670
- Jobs
- 13,800
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,530 | $22.37 | |
| 25th | $58,690 | $28.22 | |
| Median | $75,920 | $36.50 | |
| 75th | $95,120 | $45.73 | |
| 90th | $118,800 | $57.09 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| Washington | $122,900 |
| Oregon | $115,100 |
| California | $99,230 |
| Maryland | $98,730 |
| Nevada | $93,450 |
| Colorado | $85,750 |
| Minnesota | $84,410 |
| Texas | $82,390 |
| Iowa | $81,860 |
| Massachusetts | $81,140 |
| Connecticut | $80,490 |
| North Dakota | $80,320 |
| Alabama | $78,110 |
| Rhode Island | $78,100 |
| Michigan | $77,460 |
| Missouri | $77,240 |
| Nebraska | $76,770 |
| Florida | $75,660 |
| New Hampshire | $75,230 |
| Arizona | $74,780 |
| New York | $73,920 |
| Indiana | $73,340 |
| Idaho | $72,810 |
| Utah | $72,760 |
| Virginia | $70,460 |
| North Carolina | $66,820 |
| Wisconsin | $66,600 |
| Louisiana | $64,820 |
| New Mexico | $64,680 |
| Georgia | $64,550 |
| Kansas | $64,290 |
| Tennessee | $63,400 |
| Illinois | $62,400 |
| South Carolina | $61,890 |
| New Jersey | $60,100 |
| Ohio | $59,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,080 |
| Maine | $58,240 |
| Arkansas | $57,990 |
| Kentucky | $55,970 |
| Mississippi | $55,260 |
| West Virginia | $52,490 |
| Oklahoma | $37,320 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $159,200 |
| San Francisco, CA | $129,400 |
| Seattle, WA | $127,900 |
| Portland, OR | $119,800 |
| Sacramento, CA | $107,700 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $99,860 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $99,660 |
| Riverside, CA | $99,580 |
| Baltimore, MD | $98,730 |
| Oxnard, CA | $98,150 |
| Fresno, CA | $98,090 |
| San Diego, CA | $97,250 |
| Reno, NV | $94,750 |
| Dallas, TX | $94,690 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $94,140 |
In other countries
Fire Inspector and Investigator belongs to the international group "Civil engineering technicians".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fire inspector and investigator make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $36.50 ($75,920 a year).
How much does a fire inspector and investigator make a month?
About $6,327 a month before tax, based on a median of $75,920 a year.
How much does a fire inspector and investigator make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $46,530 or less a year ($22.37 an hour); the top 10% make $118,800 or more.
Which state pays fire inspector and investigators the most?
Washington, with a median of $122,900 a year, followed by Oregon ($115,100) and California ($99,230).
Which city pays fire inspector and investigators the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $159,200 a year.
How many fire inspector and investigators are there in the United States?
About 13,800 people work as fire inspector and investigators.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.