Fire Investigators: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Stan T.Career, Overview

Fire Investigators

Fire Investigators conduct investigations to determine causes of fires and explosions.

Salary
$67680
Becoming One
Medium
Education
Associate's degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match



Job description

Fire Investigators conduct investigations to determine causes of fires and explosions.

  • Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
  • Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
  • Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
  • Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
Read more about what does a Fire Investigator really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$64140 per year

Average hourly wage
$31 per hour


Fire Investigators with little to no experience tend to make between $36400 and $46440 while the more experienced ones can earn over $77480 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
CA $50 $103,830
OR $43 $89,860
WA $39 $81,430
DC $36 $75,800
CO $36 $74,790

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Fire Investigator is to move to a higher paying state like CA. Right now, the highest paying states for Fire Investigators are CA, OR, WA, DC and CO.

However, a higher pay at CA doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at CA might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Fire Investigator is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
Associate’s degree

We asked other Fire Investigators what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a College Certificate followed by a Post-Secondary Certificate.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician
Fire Science/Fire-fighting
Fire/Arson Investigation and Prevention
Read more about how to become a Fire Investigator and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Fire Investigator.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work
Suitable for people who values achievements and are results-oriented
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Demand for this career is growing
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week)

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
70%

Is this job meaningful
72%


70% of Fire Investigators said they were satisfied with their job and 72% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Builders and The Thinkers

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.



Learn more about Fire Investigators

Summary (You are here)
Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

Fire Investigators job description, Fire Investigators salary, Fire Investigators information, what is the job of a Fire Investigator like, pros and cons about Fire Investigators, colleges and universities for Fire Investigators, is Fire Investigators the right career for me, careers in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement

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