Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary
Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Virginia make a median of $70,460 a year, or about $33.88 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $74,333 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $70K get you in Virginia?
About fire inspectors and investigators
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What this looks like in Virginia
Fire inspectors and investigators pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 36.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level fire inspectors and investigators (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track fire inspectors and investigators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fire inspectors and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fire inspectors and investigators typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,151/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for fire inspectors and investigators?
Virginia pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — below the national median.
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make in Virginia?
The median is $70,460 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,510, and experienced fire inspectors and investigators can clear $90,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,535/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 36.3% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $74,333 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.