Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary
Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI make a median of $86,630 a year, or about $41.65 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.3), that's roughly $86,371 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,411/month, or 25.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $87K actually covers in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Detroit-Warren-Dearborn’s Regional Price Parity (100.3). 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn sits well above the national pay line for fire inspectors and investigators, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,411/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.3) 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $63K | $66K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $73K | $77K |
| Cleveland | $58K | $61K |
| Akron | $54K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Entry-level fire inspectors and investigators (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $45K 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
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a fire inspectors and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,411/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for fire inspectors and investigators in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fire inspectors and investigators typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,165/month. At HUD’s $1,411/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $87K here vs. $76K nationally.
How does Detroit-Warren-Dearborn compare to the national average for fire inspectors and investigators?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?
The median is $86,630 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,990, and experienced fire inspectors and investigators can clear $107,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,471/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,411/month, which eats 25.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a fire inspectors and investigators salary go in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn has a Regional Price Parity of 100.3 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fire inspectors and investigators salary is worth about $86,371 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.