Occupations · Protective Service
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 33-2021.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 71% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $149,870 | 1,780 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $74,550 | 1,430 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $83,370 | 390 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $92,610 | 300 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $70,250 | 290 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $65,940 | 290 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $95,510 | 250 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $130,940 | 250 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $80,430 | 230 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $90,610 | 220 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $123,080 | 190 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $70,680 | 170 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Postsecondary nondegree award · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony.
- Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
- Inspect buildings to locate hazardous conditions and fire code violations, such as accumulations of combustible material, electrical wiring problems, and inadequate or non-functional fire exits.
- Examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood, and accelerant residue for use in determining the cause of a fire.
- Instruct children about the dangers of fire.
- Conduct fire code compliance follow-ups to ensure that corrective actions have been taken in cases where violations were found.
- Inspect properties that store, handle, and use hazardous materials to ensure compliance with laws, codes, and regulations, and issue hazardous materials permits to facilities found in compliance.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2022-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2022-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| fire inspector | 3112.1.6 | exact |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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