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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 (BLS)

$75,920

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$47k – $119k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $105,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$8,200–$27,000

Time to qualify

2.5 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Associate degree (community college)

    Degree

    Two years at in-district rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $4,050/yr, plus ~$1,200/yr books & supplies.

    $8,000–$22,000 · 2 years source

  2. 2

    Bar exam / state licensure / academy

    License

    Lawyers: the state bar exam. Public-safety roles: a training academy plus state certification.

    $200–$5,000 · 6 months · varies by state source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Fire Inspectors and Investigators" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Fire Inspectors and Investigators

    Entry / Junior

    $46,530

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Fire Inspectors and Investigators

    Established

    $75,920

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Fire Inspectors and Investigators

    Senior

    $97,335

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

Top colleges for Law & Government

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.