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Law & Government

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.

Median salary

$78,060

Typical range

$48k – $150k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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Typical progression

  1. Junior Fire Inspectors and Investigators

    Entry / Junior

    $47,580

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Fire Inspectors and Investigators

    Established

    $78,060

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Fire Inspectors and Investigators

    Senior

    $113,965

Key skills

A typical 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.
  • Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
  • Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.

Fields of study

Any field

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