Fire Inspectors and Investigators Salary
Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Wichita, KS make a median of $44,440 a year, or about $21.36 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.95), which stretches that salary to about $49,961 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,099/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Wichita?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wichita’s Regional Price Parity (88.95). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Wichita
Pay for fire inspectors and investigators in Wichita runs about 41% below the U.S. median of $76K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,099/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.95 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Wichita, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $89K | , |
| Oklahoma City | $37K | $41K |
| Kansas City | $78K | $85K |
| Lincoln | $66K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wichita, KS
Entry-level fire inspectors and investigators (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $39K 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 Wichita numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a fire inspectors and investigator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wichita?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,099/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Wichita?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fire inspectors and investigators typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,666/month. At HUD’s $1,099/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Wichita?
Local pay runs 41% below the national median — $44K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wichita compare to the national average for fire inspectors and investigators?
Wichita pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -41%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do fire inspectors and investigators make in Wichita, KS?
The median is $44,440 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,440, and experienced fire inspectors and investigators can clear $83,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Wichita?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,989/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,099/month, which eats 36.8% 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 Wichita?
Wichita has a Regional Price Parity of 88.95 (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 $49,961 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.