Fire Inspectors and Investigators
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.
What it pays
Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn a median of $36.50/hr — about $76,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.37/hr; the top 10% earn $57.09/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn a median of $36.50/hr — about $76,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.37/hr; the top 10% earn $57.09/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
- Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
- Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
- Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
- Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
- Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Post-secondary certificate. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly; it rewards working independently; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0% of fire inspectors and investigators are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
- Transportation Security Screeners
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Quick questions
- How much does a fire inspectors and investigator make?
- The median pay is $36.50 per hour — roughly $76,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.37/hr (10th percentile) to $57.09/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a fire inspectors and investigator?
- The typical entry-level education is: Post-secondary certificate. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a fire inspectors and investigator actually do all day?
- Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects. Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms. Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.