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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

33-2021 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.


National estimates for Fire Inspectors and Investigators
Industry profile for Fire Inspectors and Investigators
Geographic profile for Fire Inspectors and Investigators

National estimates for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
14,600 4.2 % $ 33.50 $ 69,680 1.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 19.32 $ 24.27 $ 31.06 $ 39.35 $ 48.43
Annual Wage (2) $ 40,190 $ 50,480 $ 64,600 $ 81,850 $ 100,730


Industry profile for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Fire Inspectors and Investigators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Fire Inspectors and Investigators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,180 0.19 $ 34.03 $ 70,780
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,150 0.05 $ 31.31 $ 65,130
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities 180 0.02 (8) (8)
Other Support Services 150 0.05 $ 20.84 $ 43,340
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 130 0.00 $ 27.65 $ 57,520

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,180 0.19 $ 34.03 $ 70,780
Other Support Services 150 0.05 $ 20.84 $ 43,340
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,150 0.05 $ 31.31 $ 65,130
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 30 0.03 $ 48.75 $ 101,410
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 110 0.02 $ 38.29 $ 79,650

Top paying industries for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 30 0.03 $ 48.75 $ 101,410
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 110 0.02 $ 38.29 $ 79,650
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (8) (8) $ 36.22 $ 75,340
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,180 0.19 $ 34.03 $ 70,780
Building Equipment Contractors 90 (7) $ 32.19 $ 66,960


Geographic profile for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Fire Inspectors and Investigators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Fire Inspectors and Investigators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of fire inspectors and investigators by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 2,330 0.27 2.61 $ 31.98 $ 66,530
New York 1,380 0.16 1.53 $ 34.69 $ 72,150
California 1,200 0.07 0.70 $ 37.07 $ 77,100
Texas 900 0.07 0.71 $ 31.79 $ 66,110
New Jersey 850 0.22 2.14 $ 32.04 $ 66,630


Map of location quotient of fire inspectors and investigators by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 130 0.29 2.81 $ 26.32 $ 54,750
Florida 2,330 0.27 2.61 $ 31.98 $ 66,530
New Jersey 850 0.22 2.14 $ 32.04 $ 66,630
Connecticut 330 0.21 2.04 $ 40.12 $ 83,440
Wyoming 50 0.20 1.94 $ 23.32 $ 48,500


Map of annual mean wages of fire inspectors and investigators by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Idaho 50 0.06 0.61 $ 53.80 $ 111,910
Oregon 120 0.07 0.65 $ 50.12 $ 104,240
Washington 250 0.08 0.76 $ 47.76 $ 99,340
Iowa 100 0.07 0.68 $ 47.48 $ 98,750
Illinois 830 0.15 1.43 $ 42.66 $ 88,730



Map of employment of fire inspectors and investigators by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,660 0.68 6.52 $ 32.80 $ 68,220
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,600 0.18 1.78 $ 34.25 $ 71,240
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 630 0.15 1.44 $ 42.92 $ 89,270
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 340 0.12 1.15 $ 33.04 $ 68,720
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 340 0.19 1.80 $ 32.46 $ 67,520
Columbus, OH 310 0.30 2.90 $ 41.66 $ 86,660
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 270 0.10 0.99 $ 28.65 $ 59,600
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 250 0.10 0.93 $ 29.45 $ 61,260
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 220 0.04 0.38 $ 34.68 $ 72,130
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 220 0.06 0.58 $ 32.43 $ 67,440


Map of location quotient of fire inspectors and investigators by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,660 0.68 6.52 $ 32.80 $ 68,220
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 90 0.46 4.48 $ 48.45 $ 100,770
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI 50 0.42 4.05 $ 35.07 $ 72,940
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 50 0.34 3.24 $ 32.78 $ 68,180
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 120 0.32 3.05 $ 42.68 $ 88,770
Rockford, IL 40 0.31 3.04 $ 41.34 $ 85,980
Utica-Rome, NY 40 0.31 3.03 $ 31.29 $ 65,090
Trenton, NJ 70 0.30 2.92 $ 31.39 $ 65,290
Columbus, OH 310 0.30 2.90 $ 41.66 $ 86,660
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 30 0.27 2.60 $ 33.02 $ 68,690


Map of annual mean wages of fire inspectors and investigators by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Dayton, OH 40 0.13 1.21 $ 56.13 $ 116,740
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (8) (8) (8) $ 53.86 $ 112,040
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 70 0.06 0.61 $ 51.55 $ 107,220
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (8) (8) (8) $ 50.78 $ 105,630
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 150 0.08 0.78 $ 50.40 $ 104,820
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 90 0.46 4.48 $ 48.45 $ 100,770
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 190 0.09 0.83 $ 44.38 $ 92,300
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 630 0.15 1.44 $ 42.92 $ 89,270
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 120 0.32 3.05 $ 42.68 $ 88,770
Santa Rosa, CA 40 0.22 2.13 $ 42.50 $ 88,400

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 80 0.74 7.19 $ 29.68 $ 61,720
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 50 0.21 2.01 $ 26.46 $ 55,030
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 50 0.20 1.89 $ 24.59 $ 51,160
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 30 0.16 1.59 $ 26.03 $ 54,150

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 80 0.74 7.19 $ 29.68 $ 61,720
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 50 0.21 2.01 $ 26.46 $ 55,030
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 50 0.20 1.89 $ 24.59 $ 51,160
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 30 0.16 1.59 $ 26.03 $ 54,150

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Fire Inspectors and Investigators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 80 0.74 7.19 $ 29.68 $ 61,720
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 50 0.21 2.01 $ 26.46 $ 55,030
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 30 0.16 1.59 $ 26.03 $ 54,150
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 50 0.20 1.89 $ 24.59 $ 51,160
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 15.99 $ 33,250


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022