Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary
Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Pittsburgh, PA make a median of $35,790 a year, or about $17.21 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers.
So what does $36K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.7). 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 Pittsburgh
Pay for fire inspectors and investigators in Pittsburgh runs about 53% below the U.S. median of $76K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,299/month, which is 52.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for fire inspectors and investigatorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fire inspectors and investigators in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $59K | , |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $48K | , |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $66K | , |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $99K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level fire inspectors and investigators (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $81K 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
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 Pittsburgh numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a fire inspectors and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 52.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fire inspectors and investigators typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,146/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Pittsburgh?
Local pay runs 53% below the national median — $36K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for fire inspectors and investigators?
Pittsburgh pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -53%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $35,790 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,770, and experienced fire inspectors and investigators can clear $80,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,475/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 52.5% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fire inspectors and investigators salary is worth about $37,793 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.