How long does the training take?

Typically a few months to two years for the certificate, then a few months to a year of training on the job, then 5 years or more of related work first. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do fire inspectors and investigators make?

The US median is $75,920 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Not a full degree. A certificate or short program is the usual route.

Where can you train for this work?

354 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

🎓 My University View

Home › Careers › Fire inspectors and investigators

Fire inspectors and investigators: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Protective service · SOC 33-2021

$75,920US median pay, 2025

+4.2%Projected growth, 2025–35

1,600Openings per year

CertificateUsual way in

How you get in

A certificate or short program is the usual way in.

Postsecondary nondegree award
5 years or more of experience in a related job
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Work in: fire inspectors and investigators

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Fire Science/Fire-fighting	CIP 43.0203	269
Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician	CIP 43.0201	142
Fire/Arson Investigation and Prevention	CIP 43.0205	7

See the 354 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically a few months to two years for the certificate, then a few months to a year of training on the job, then 5 years or more of related work first. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make?: The US median is $75,920 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Not a full degree. A certificate or short program is the usual route.
Where can you train for this work?: 354 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

Related careers in Protective service

Security guards · Police and sheriff's patrol officers · Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers · Correctional officers and jailers · Firefighters · First-line supervisors of police and detectives · Detectives and criminal investigators · First-line supervisors of security workers