Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between fire alarm technicians and fire alarm inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a fire alarm technician and a fire alarm inspector. Additionally, a fire alarm inspector has an average salary of $45,136, which is higher than the $42,765 average annual salary of a fire alarm technician.
The top three skills for a fire alarm technician include customer service, fire protection and NFPA. The most important skills for a fire alarm inspector are customer service, ladders, and hand tools.
A fire alarm technician is an individual who installs, operates, and maintains the fire alarm systems of a building. Fire alarm technicians must inspect and repair heat detectors and sprinkler heads as well as test the building's fire alarm systems using appropriate diagnostic programs and equipment. They are required to review electrical layout blueprints to determine whether the fire alarm systems comply with the electrical and fire safety codes. Fire alarm technicians must also communicate with clients to ensure that all fire alarm systems are installed and working properly.
Fire alarm inspectors are professionals who are responsible for inspecting the alarm systems of a residential or commercial building to ensure that the systems are working and following the local, state, and federal fire safety regulations. These inspectors are required to configure fire alarm systems and automatic sprinklers for proper operation. By using AutoCAD, fire alarm inspectors are required to help in designing and creating the layout for the new fire alarm systems. They must also provide excellent customer service by accommodating the needs of customers using negotiation strategies.
Fire alarm technicians and fire alarm inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fire Alarm Technician | Fire Alarm Inspector | |
| Average salary | $42,765 | $45,136 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $57,000 | Between $31,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fort Wayne, IN | - |
| Highest paying state | Indiana | - |
| Best paying company | Siemens | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a fire alarm technician and a fire alarm inspector in terms of educational background:
| Fire Alarm Technician | Fire Alarm Inspector | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between fire alarm technicians' and fire alarm inspectors' demographics:
| Fire Alarm Technician | Fire Alarm Inspector | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 4.3% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |