Fire Alarm Inspector Salary: United States
At Skilled Trades Headhunters, this is what we do all day: recruit skilled trades professionals.
The median annual wage for Fire Alarm Inspector in the United States was $74,690 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $58,860 and $94,710.
Broader occupation Our title "Fire Alarm Inspector" is reported by BLS as SOC 47-4011 Construction and Building Inspectors. BLS groups Fire Alarm Inspector within Construction and Building Inspectors; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
Fire Alarm Inspector, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $47,140, half earned less than the median of $74,690, 90% earned less than $114,200 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,140 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $58,860 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $74,690 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $94,710 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $114,200 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $77,730 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Fire Alarm Inspector, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $22.66, half earned less than the median of $35.91, 90% earned less than $54.91 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.66 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $28.30 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $35.91 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $45.54 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $54.91 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $37.37 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 146,720 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-4011 Construction and Building Inspectors, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $76,610 | $56,520 to $95,070 | 4,380 | 1.65 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $66,220 | $53,220 to $82,420 | 1,820 | 1.34 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $66,180 | $52,470 to $90,750 | 1,750 | 1.31 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $67,840 | $54,700 to $81,550 | 1,760 | 2.51 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $90,800 | $70,170 to $114,200 | 10,340 | 1.15 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $90,800 | $70,170 to $114,200 | 10,340 | 1.15 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $69,020 | $58,120 to $80,140 | 5,450 | 1.43 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $66,780 | $53,430 to $85,240 | 4,980 | 1.6 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $82,640 | $62,040 to $105,130 | 1,840 | 0.43 |
How does Fire Alarm Inspector pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 47-4011, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $105,310 | Annual | 4,150 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $105,310 | Annual | 4,150 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $107,460 | Annual | 2,480 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $105,630 | Annual | 1,480 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $70,310 | Annual | 190 |
| Construction | 23 | $74,460 | Annual | 13,780 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $80,810 | Annual | 3,670 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $74,210 | Annual | 1,460 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $94,260 | Annual | 2,210 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $71,830 | Annual | 3,200 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $67,490 | Annual | 2,280 |
| Land Subdivision | 237200 | $92,050 | Annual | 40 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $62,100 | Annual | 470 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $83,480 | Annual | 420 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $68,330 | Annual | 6,900 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $67,380 | Annual | 630 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $71,150 | Annual | 4,800 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $65,610 | Annual | 810 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $66,240 | Annual | 670 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $59,960 | Annual | 240 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $48,510 | Annual | 50 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $45,540 | Annual | 80 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $45,540 | Annual | 80 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $96,680 | Annual | 70 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $87,460 | Annual | 450 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $87,460 | Annual | 450 |
| Pipeline Transportation | 486000 | $82,170 | Annual | 40 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $46,060 | Annual | 2,330 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $51,710 | Annual | 2,080 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $74,650 | Annual | 57,320 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $74,650 | Annual | 57,320 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $75,330 | Annual | 47,310 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $53,830 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $38,660 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $69,500 | Annual | 3,920 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $102,810 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541900 | $69,040 | Annual | 5,890 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $61,650 | Annual | 410 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $65,760 | Annual | 90 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $65,520 | Annual | 80 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $66,890 | Annual | 270 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $82,730 | Annual | 150 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Fire Protection Foreman (47-1011)Low Voltage Foreman (47-1011)Fire Protection Superintendent (11-9021)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Construction and Building Inspectors. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $129,750 | 860 | 0.8 | 1.54 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $125,130 | 2,380 | 1.06 | 1.69 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $112,550 | 210 | 1.11 | 2.18 |
| Vallejo, CA | $108,180 | 190 | 1.42 | 1.85 |
| Anchorage, AK | $106,780 | 160 | 0.98 | 1.77 |
| Napa, CA | $106,410 | 50 | 0.65 | 1.93 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $103,980 | 1,060 | 1.04 | 1.74 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $102,830 | 1,640 | 0.83 | 1.42 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $102,130 | 110 | 0.94 | 1.78 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $102,060 | 140 | 0.71 | 1.80 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $48,160 | 160 | 1.09 | 1.11 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $48,080 | 190 | 0.68 | 1.34 |
| Lubbock, TX | $48,010 | 150 | 0.97 | 1.14 |
| Laredo, TX | $47,340 | 90 | 0.84 | 1.27 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $45,980 | 110 | 0.72 | 1.26 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $45,740 | 40 | 0.52 | 1.02 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $45,700 | 600 | 1.46 | 0.98 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $45,090 | 560 | 0.86 | 1.53 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $38,390 | 40 | 0.77 | 1.45 |
| Ponce, PR | $25,530 | 70 | 1.17 | 0.95 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Fire Alarm Inspector in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Fire Alarm Inspector in National, the published median for SOC 47-4011, Construction and Building Inspectors, is $74,690 per year. The middle half of the Fire Alarm Inspector in National wage distribution runs from $58,860 to $94,710, a width of $35,850 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Fire Alarm Inspector comparison, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $90,800 per year while Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX reports $69,020 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Fire Alarm Inspector figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Construction and Building Inspectors, read alongside Fire Alarm Inspector in National, are Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution at $107,460 per year (NAICS 221100); Natural Gas Distribution at $105,630 per year (NAICS 221200); Utilities at $105,310 per year (NAICS 22). Those Fire Alarm Inspector in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Fire Alarm Inspector in National median was $72,120 per year in May 2024, compared with $74,690 in May 2025, a published difference of $2,570. That Fire Alarm Inspector in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $72,120 and $74,690 Fire Alarm Inspector in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $74,690 per year for Fire Alarm Inspector in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Fire Alarm Inspector in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Fire Alarm Inspector in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Fire Alarm Inspector in National is broader: BLS groups Fire Alarm Inspector within Construction and Building Inspectors; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Fire Alarm Inspector in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Fire Alarm Inspector in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Fire Alarm Inspector in National buyer?
Fire Alarm Inspector in National has a published middle-half band of $58,860 to $94,710, a width of $35,850 per year, with median $74,690. An offer inside that Fire Alarm Inspector in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Fire Alarm Inspector in National?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Fire Alarm Inspector in National. Comparing those Construction and Building Inspectors tables with the $74,690 Fire Alarm Inspector in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Fire Alarm Inspector in National?
Fire Alarm Inspector in National uses national industry rows for SOC 47-4011, not local sector-specific wages. Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution leads the selected sortable rows at $107,460 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Fire Alarm Inspector in National.
What changed between the releases for Fire Alarm Inspector in National?
Fire Alarm Inspector in National moved from $72,120 in May 2024 to $74,690 in May 2025. These Fire Alarm Inspector in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 47-4011. Published annual median: $72,120 (May 2024) and $74,690 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.