Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary
Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Cleveland, OH make a median of $57,590 a year, or about $27.69 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $61,318 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,279/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $58K actually covers in Cleveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About fire inspectors and investigators
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Pay for fire inspectors and investigators in Cleveland runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,279/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fire inspectors and investigators in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $63K | $66K |
| Akron | $54K | $58K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $86K | $93K |
| Toledo | $67K | $73K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level fire inspectors and investigators (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Fire Inspectors and Investigators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fire Inspectors and Investigators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $123K | +62% | 380 |
| Oregon | $115K | +52% | N/A |
| California | $99K | +31% | 1,350 |
| Maryland | $99K | +30% | 270 |
| Nevada | $93K | +23% | 190 |
| Colorado | $86K | +13% | N/A |
| Minnesota | $84K | +11% | 230 |
| Texas | $82K | +9% | 1,030 |
| Iowa | $82K | +8% | 30 |
| Massachusetts | $81K | +7% | 200 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +6% | 420 |
| North Dakota | $80K | +6% | 40 |
| Alabama | $78K | +3% | 40 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +3% | 50 |
| Michigan | $77K | +2% | 250 |
| Missouri | $77K | +2% | 110 |
| Nebraska | $77K | +1% | 60 |
| Florida | $76K | -0% | 1,060 |
| New Hampshire | $75K | -1% | 50 |
| Arizona | $75K | -2% | 240 |
| New York | $74K | -3% | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $73K | -3% | 200 |
| Idaho | $73K | -4% | 30 |
| Utah | $73K | -4% | 60 |
| Virginia | $70K | -7% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $67K | -12% | 870 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | -12% | 160 |
| Louisiana | $65K | -15% | 80 |
| New Mexico | $65K | -15% | 160 |
| Georgia | $65K | -15% | 300 |
| Kansas | $64K | -15% | 90 |
| Tennessee | $63K | -16% | 390 |
| Illinois | $62K | -18% | 440 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -18% | 110 |
| New Jersey | $60K | -21% | 1,290 |
| Ohio | $59K | -22% | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -22% | 280 |
| Maine | $58K | -23% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $58K | -24% | 40 |
| Kentucky | $56K | -26% | 100 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -27% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $52K | -31% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -51% | 160 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track fire inspectors and investigators salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a fire inspectors and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 32.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fire inspectors and investigators in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fire inspectors and investigators typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,949/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fire inspectors and investigator a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $58K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for fire inspectors and investigators?
Cleveland pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $57,590 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,060, and experienced fire inspectors and investigators can clear $84,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,952/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 32.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a fire inspectors and investigators salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fire inspectors and investigators salary is worth about $61,318 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fire inspectors and investigators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.