Leads fire prevention for a city, county or state: enforcing fire codes, reviewing building plans and directing fire cause investigations. BLS does not publish separate figures for fire inspectors and investigators; it counts them within fire inspector and investigator (SOC 33-2021), whose median pay is $75,920 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 33-2021
- Protective Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Fire Marshal in four numbers
- Median pay
- $75,920a year, or $36.50/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $47KTop 10% $119K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.2%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,60014,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202514.7K
- Projected 203515.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 14.7K Projected 2035 15.3K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school6.8%
- High school22.6%
- Certificate27.5%
- Some college26%
- Associate's12.8%
- Master's2%
Highest education held by fire inspectors and investigators Segment Value Less than high school 6.8% High school 22.6% Certificate 27.5% Some college 26% Associate's 12.8% Master's 2%
Also advertised as: City Fire Marshal, State Fire Marshal, Deputy Fire Marshal, Chief Fire Marshal, Fire Prevention Chief.
Pay
How much do Fire Inspectors and Investigators make?
Every fire marshal in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$75,920
Middle half earn $58,690 to $95,120
- 10th
- $46,530
- 25th
- $58,690
- 75th
- $95,120
- 90th
- $118,750
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $46,530 |
| 25th | $58,690 |
| Median | $75,920 |
| 75th | $95,120 |
| 90th | $118,750 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $75,920
- Median hourly wage
- $36.50/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $78,670
- People employed
- 13,800
Versus all US occupations
At $75,920, Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn 49% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $24,940 a year.
Versus protective service occupations
Inside the Protective Service group, where the middle occupation pays $74,060, this is 3% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $118,750 or more while the bottom 10% earn $46,530, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 51% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $122,900, and still leads at $114,846 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Fire Inspectors and Investigators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $122,900 | $114,846 | 380 |
| 2Oregon | $115,080 | $111,338 | N/A |
| 3California | $99,230 | $89,622 | 1,350 |
| 4Maryland | $98,730 | $94,065 | 270 |
| 5Nevada | $93,450 | $93,470 | 190 |
| 6Colorado | $85,750 | $83,210 | N/A |
| 7Minnesota | $84,410 | $85,590 | 230 |
| 8Texas | $82,390 | $84,888 | 1,030 |
| 9Iowa | $81,860 | $93,275 | 30 |
| 10Massachusetts | $81,140 | $76,723 | 200 |
Job outlook
Is Fire Marshal a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | +4.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Fire Inspectors and Investigators to change 4.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,600 openings are projected each year, 10.9% of the 14,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Fire Marshal
Most fire marshals start as firefighters, then specialize in prevention as inspectors or investigators before moving up. A degree in fire science or fire protection is common for leadership roles. Certification to national standards for inspectors and investigators is expected, and requirements are set by each state.
The National Fire Protection Association publishes the codes and the professional qualification standards for fire marshals, inspectors and investigators, and the International Code Council offers fire inspector and fire marshal certifications. The International Association of Arson Investigators offers investigator certifications. Some departments hire civilian fire prevention staff with engineering or building inspection backgrounds who can rise to fire marshal.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
5 years or more
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as fire inspectors and investigators.
- Post-Secondary Certificate27.5%
- Some College Courses26%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)22.6%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree12.8%
- Less than a High School Diploma6.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 27.5% |
| Some College Courses | 26% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 22.6% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 12.8% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 6.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Fire Marshal do?
Fire marshals head the fire prevention side of the fire service. They enforce the fire code, which covers sprinklers, alarms, exits, storage of flammable materials and occupancy limits, and they lead the inspectors who check businesses, schools, apartments and events. They review plans for new buildings and fire protection systems so problems are caught before construction.
Fire marshals also oversee fire investigations, determining the origin and cause of fires and working with police when arson is suspected. Many have police powers to make arrests in arson cases. They lead public education programs, approve fireworks displays and large events, and advise city officials on fire safety rules. State fire marshals set statewide codes, train local inspectors and handle investigations in places without their own staff.
Day-to-day tasks
- Direct fire code inspections of businesses and buildings
- Review construction plans and fire protection systems
- Lead fire origin and cause investigations
- Work with police and prosecutors on arson cases
- Approve permits for events, fireworks and hazardous materials
- Recommend fire code changes to officials
- Run public fire safety education programs
- Supervise inspectors and investigators
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Fire marshals split time between offices, building inspections, construction sites and fire scenes, which can be dirty and hazardous. Investigations can come at any hour, and the role often includes on-call duty and court testimony.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.6
- Writing3.5
- Speaking3.5
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.4
- Monitoring3.3
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4
- Persuasion3.3
- Instructing3.3
- Service Orientation3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Systems Evaluation3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.4 |
| Persuasion | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.3 |
| Service Orientation | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Human resources software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Fire Marshal?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RIE) built on O*NET's Fire Inspector and Investigator profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Fire Marshal |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.6
- Conventional4.9
- Investigative4.7
- Enterprising3.8
- Social2.6
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Fire Marshal
O*NET related occupations
- Protective Service
- Architecture and Engineering
- Protective Service
- Protective Service
Forest Fire Inspector and Prevention Specialist
$56,870median a year
Most earn $35K to $105K
+13.1%High school - Protective Service
First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
$93,530median a year
Most earn $53K to $140K
+3.7%Certificate - Construction and Extraction
More protective service careers
Median annual pay, with fire inspectors and investigators highlighted
- Detective and Criminal Investigator$93,790
- Intelligence Analyst$93,790
- Police Officer$76,210
- Custom and Border Protection Officer$76,210
- Fire Marshal$75,920
- Firefighter$59,280
- Correctional Officer and Jailer$58,940
- Private Detective and Investigator$51,220
- Security Guard$38,020
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $93,790 |
| Intelligence Analyst | $93,790 |
| Police Officer | $76,210 |
| Custom and Border Protection Officer | $76,210 |
| Fire Marshal | $75,920 |
| Firefighter | $59,280 |
| Correctional Officer and Jailer | $58,940 |
| Private Detective and Investigator | $51,220 |
| Security Guard | $38,020 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Fire Marshal appears on
Questions
Fire Marshal: frequently asked questions
How much do Fire Inspectors and Investigators make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for fire inspectors and investigators. It counts them within fire inspector and investigator, whose median pay is $75,920 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $58,690 and $95,120, and the top 10% earn $118,750 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Fire Marshal?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Fire Inspectors and Investigators. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 27.5% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Fire Marshal a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.2% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Fire Marshal do?
Fire marshals head the fire prevention side of the fire service. A typical task: direct fire code inspections of businesses and buildings. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Fire Inspectors and Investigators the most?
The highest state medians for Fire Inspectors and Investigators are Washington ($122,900), Oregon ($115,080), California ($99,230) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Fire Marshal?
O*NET scores Fire Inspectors and Investigators highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.