Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary
Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Columbus, OH make a median of $63,460 a year, or about $30.51 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $66,471 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,430/month, about 34.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $63K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 Columbus
Pay for fire inspectors and investigators in Columbus runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,430/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fire inspectors and investigators in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | $58K | $61K |
| 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, Columbus, OH
Entry-level fire inspectors and investigators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $56K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when Columbus numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a fire inspectors and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 33% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fire inspectors and investigators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,575/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Columbus?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $63K here vs. $76K nationally.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for fire inspectors and investigators?
Columbus pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $63,460 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,920, and experienced fire inspectors and investigators can clear $99,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,332/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 33% 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 Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 $66,471 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.