Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists in New Orleans-Metairie, LA make a median of $102,480 a year, or about $49.27 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $110,670 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,331/month, or 20.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $102K get you in New Orleans-Metairie?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New Orleans-Metairie’s Regional Price Parity (92.6). 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 forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
New Orleans-Metairie sits well above the national pay line for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists, local pay runs about 80% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,331/month, 20.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, New Orleans-Metairie offers a genuinely strong financial position for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialistss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Entry-level forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $97K | +71% | 480 |
| Utah | $90K | +58% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $75K | +33% | 90 |
| Oregon | $74K | +29% | 140 |
| Maine | $68K | +20% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | +8% | 310 |
| Arizona | $59K | +3% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $57K | +1% | 140 |
| Florida | $52K | -9% | 100 |
| Colorado | $50K | -12% | 210 |
| Georgia | $48K | -16% | 350 |
| Idaho | $47K | -17% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $43K | -24% | 140 |
| Alabama | $37K | -34% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $32K | -44% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forest fire inspectors and prevention specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 20.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,800/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is forest fire inspectors and prevention specialist a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay is 80% above the national median — $102K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +80%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $102,480 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,660, and experienced forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists can clear $102,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,392/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 20.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists salary go in New Orleans-Metairie?
New Orleans-Metairie has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists salary is worth about $110,670 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists 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.