Fire Inspectors and Investigators
Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn an average annual salary of $102,823, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. The field has seen strong growth, with employment increasing by 46.5% over recent years. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Fire Inspectors and Investigators workforce.
Employment Over Time
1,260 Workforce in 2023
The Fire Inspectors and Investigators workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$102,823 Average Wage
In 2023, Fire Inspectors and Investigators earned an average of $102,823.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Salary distribution for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Employment Growth Projections
3.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
5,844 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 19.8%
6,999 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 43.4%
This occupation is projected to grow at 3.7% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Fire Inspectors and Investigators and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Fire Inspectors and Investigators employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Wage Trends by Industry
-0.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 1,180 employees, $104,357 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 210 employees, $138,689 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 180 employees, $96,241 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 170 employees, $91,674 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 80 employees, $101,989 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 80 employees, $92,209 avg wage
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: 80 employees, $94,883 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 70 employees, $93,474 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 40 employees, $86,522 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 40 employees, $88,291 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 40 employees, $136,864 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Diversity
Demographic information on Fire Inspectors and Investigators in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Fire Inspectors and Investigators in 2023 was 1,260 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Fire Inspectors and Investigators in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Fire Inspectors and Investigators workers.
Education level distribution for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Skills
Fire Inspectors and Investigators need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Writing, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness.
Required skills for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Fire Inspectors and Investigators include Public Safety and Security, Customer and Personal Service, Building and Construction, Law and Government, Education and Training.
Knowledge areas required for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Fire Inspectors and Investigators include Problem Sensitivity, Written Expression, Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning.
Required abilities for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
Daily Activities
Fire Inspectors and Investigators spend their time on activities such as Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Documenting/Recording Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Communicating with People Outside the Organization.
Most important work activities for Fire Inspectors and Investigators.
About
Fire Inspectors and Investigators
The average yearly wage for Fire Inspectors and Investigators was $102,823 in 2023.
SOC Code
33-2021 - Fire Inspectors and Investigators
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Fire Inspectors and Investigators reports an average salary of $102,823, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,260 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 3.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.