33
Fire Inspectors and Investigators is a notable career in the 33 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Fire Inspectors and Investigators against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
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11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 33-2021 |
| title | Fire Inspectors and Investigators |
| onet code | 33-2021.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 33 |
| tot emp | 14,050 |
| a mean | 87,440 |
| a median | 78,060 |
| a pct10 | 47,580 |
| a pct25 | 60,700 |
| a pct75 | 105,390 |
| a pct90 | 149,870 |
| h mean | 42 |
| h median | 37 |
The day-to-day work of a fire inspectors and investigators typically centers on prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Active Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.39 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working fire inspectors and investigators, the most common entry qualification is a Post (27.5%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Washington at $116,950 and lowest in Oklahoma at $37,320 — a 3.1× spread. The top five states (Washington, Oregon, Colorado, California, Nevada) average $104,264. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $116,950 | $112,580 | $76,840 | $143,130 | 330 |
| Oregon | $115,240 | $110,240 | $68,860 | $124,110 | 180 |
| Colorado | $97,080 | $99,120 | $75,400 | $124,130 | 170 |
| California | $96,180 | $99,980 | $57,550 | $147,190 | 1,260 |
| Nevada | $95,870 | $92,800 | $66,280 | $112,140 | 190 |
| Maryland | $90,610 | $84,860 | $47,100 | $111,710 | 270 |
| Michigan | $86,770 | $83,150 | $55,740 | $105,510 | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $84,650 | $90,140 | $57,390 | $126,950 | 110 |
| Texas | $83,370 | $80,240 | $51,240 | $101,150 | 980 |
| Missouri | $83,130 | $91,820 | $49,320 | $150,430 | 130 |
| Minnesota | $81,200 | $85,350 | $51,660 | $115,380 | 160 |
| Wyoming | $77,450 | $81,260 | $77,450 | $89,600 | 30 |
| New Hampshire | $77,040 | $81,450 | $61,210 | $110,070 | 70 |
| Connecticut | $76,620 | $77,580 | $47,490 | $107,770 | 430 |
| North Dakota | $75,860 | $75,810 | $61,460 | $94,980 | 30 |
| Iowa | $75,330 | $77,580 | $48,520 | $113,030 | 40 |
| New York | $75,080 | $79,740 | $51,910 | $120,880 | 1,200 |
| Arizona | $74,900 | $74,090 | $57,910 | $95,030 | 210 |
| Rhode Island | $74,380 | $75,330 | $51,210 | $97,300 | — |
| Utah | $72,550 | $70,770 | $55,360 | $85,100 | 60 |
| Illinois | $72,400 | $76,950 | $42,730 | $120,360 | 210 |
| Louisiana | $71,380 | $76,880 | $41,590 | $110,840 | 70 |
| Vermont | $71,220 | $72,750 | $59,450 | $80,850 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $70,300 | $73,750 | $46,940 | $110,790 | 60 |
| Idaho | $70,160 | $74,460 | $52,830 | $101,040 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $69,920 | $75,680 | $37,420 | $124,640 | 180 |
| Virginia | $69,140 | $71,210 | $53,580 | $90,290 | 110 |
| New Jersey | $69,090 | $73,070 | $45,700 | $106,150 | 900 |
| North Carolina | $68,670 | $66,740 | $36,640 | $87,400 | 750 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,440 | $67,260 | $51,920 | $91,550 | 310 |
| Indiana | $66,090 | $66,870 | $42,640 | $93,450 | 200 |
| Tennessee | $65,940 | $65,400 | $50,230 | $83,320 | 540 |
| New Mexico | $65,330 | $66,130 | $48,740 | $82,770 | 80 |
| Ohio | $64,790 | $80,230 | $41,800 | $132,550 | 510 |
| Georgia | $64,480 | $66,740 | $41,880 | $90,970 | 270 |
| South Carolina | $61,780 | $63,170 | $46,010 | $79,200 | 160 |
| Kansas | $60,380 | $67,330 | $44,500 | $95,680 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $58,030 | $62,590 | $44,610 | $84,950 | 40 |
| Delaware | $57,840 | $64,550 | $34,800 | $117,350 | 70 |
| Mississippi | $54,650 | $52,990 | $35,690 | $67,560 | 120 |
| West Virginia | $52,820 | $52,730 | $41,710 | $59,600 | 60 |
| Alabama | $50,810 | $55,070 | $36,710 | $81,410 | — |
| Kentucky | $50,800 | $55,110 | $44,490 | $71,190 | 100 |
| Maine | $45,770 | $55,430 | $36,470 | $84,910 | — |
| Oklahoma | $37,320 | $51,340 | $31,430 | $98,130 | 170 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for fire inspectors and investigators. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Alarm Inspector or Alarm Sprinkler Inspector frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Fire Inspectors and Investigators compares to others in the 33 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Fire Inspectors and Investigators
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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