Fire inspector vs fire investigator

The differences between fire inspectors and fire investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a fire inspector, becoming a fire investigator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a fire investigator has an average salary of $64,364, which is higher than the $48,535 average annual salary of a fire inspector.

The top three skills for a fire inspector include fire protection, customer service and NFPA. The most important skills for a fire investigator are NFPA, scientific methods, and legal proceedings.

Fire inspector vs fire investigator overview

	Fire Inspector	Fire Investigator
Yearly salary	$48,535	$64,364
Hourly rate	$23.33	$30.94
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	19,441	20,597
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	4	6

What does a fire inspector do?

A fire inspector is in charge of conducting inspections in establishments and structures to identify fire safety violations and ensure compliance with state and federal laws and fire codes. They typically travel and visit various buildings, review documents, examine fire alarm and control equipment, enforce corrective measures against violations, and produce inspection reports to be submitted at local permit offices. Furthermore, a fire inspector may also investigate fire cases, conducting investigations to identify its cause. In some situations, they must testify in court regarding the investigation's findings.

What does a fire investigator do?

Fire investigators are the people who determine how the fire started and why the fire behaved the way it did. Fire investigation is important because the data collected can be used for future fires from happening. Fire investigators will collect evidence, identify any potential accelerants, and the cause of a fire on the scene. At times, they also interview the witness and assist in identifying offenders in the cases of arson and suspects. Being an active listener, having precise judgment, a critical thinker, and having the skills to communicate properly, whether verbally or in written form, are the skills needed for this profession.

Fire inspector vs fire investigator salary

Fire inspectors and fire investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fire Inspector	Fire Investigator
Average salary	$48,535	$64,364
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $70,000	Between $43,000 And $95,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Siemens	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between fire inspector and fire investigator education

There are a few differences between a fire inspector and a fire investigator in terms of educational background:

	Fire Inspector	Fire Investigator
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Fire Science And Protection	Fire Science And Protection
Most common college	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

Fire inspector vs fire investigator demographics

Here are the differences between fire inspectors' and fire investigators' demographics:

	Fire Inspector	Fire Investigator
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%	Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 1.2% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 1.2% White, 71.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
LGBT Percentage	18%	18%

Differences between fire inspector and fire investigator duties and responsibilities

Fire inspector example responsibilities.

Direct and lead a hands-on approach to resolve a contagious communicable disease within the APG community daycare centers (CDC).
Achieve advance levels of Fire/EMS management certification.
Lead infantry teams in combat operations, providing tactical and technical guidance to subordinates and professional support to superiors.
Conduct annual base facility fire inspections ensuring continual code compliance with NFPA s, AFI s and other applicable standards.
Perform crash-rescue, and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) operations and assist in reducing and/or eliminating of potential fire hazards.
Administer medical aid and CPR to victims before ambulance arrives.

Fire investigator example responsibilities.

Manage repair processes in a timely fashion to mitigate claims cost and reduce litigation exposure.
Supervise the patrol officers in assisting and leading them in their performance of their duties.
Provide recommendations to assist in the determination of claim settlement or litigation.
Work closely with patrol, investigation, and at-large representatives to avoid costly collective bargaining problems.
Assist attorneys in misdemeanor civil/criminal cases by delivering subpoenas, interviewing witnesses, collecting and documenting evidence relate to open cases.
Utilize insurance investigative databases (ISO, NCIB) to review history and complete thorough investigations.

Fire inspector vs fire investigator skills

Common fire inspector skills

Fire Protection, 27%
Customer Service, 14%
NFPA, 11%
Ladders, 7%
Inspection Reports, 3%
Fire Hazards, 3%

Common fire investigator skills

NFPA, 42%
Scientific Methods, 13%
Legal Proceedings, 10%
Litigation, 8%
Fire Scenes, 5%
Evidence Collection, 4%

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Protective Service Industry
Fire Inspector
Fire Inspector vs Fire Investigator

Updated January 8, 2025

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