Fire inspectors and investigators
SOC Code: 33-2021
Fire inspectors and investigators carries a 33% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $78,060 and +3.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 14,700 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 33% AI exposure, Fire inspectors and investigators sits 4 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 41% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
66/100
Fire inspectors and investigators, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage B $78,060
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth C+ +3.8%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) C 33% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Fire inspectors and investigators in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Average (378/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Fire inspectors and investigators sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Fire inspectors and investigators sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
33% Lower than most lower than 59% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Fire inspectors and investigators vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Fire inspectors and investigators is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Fire inspectors and investigators's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 33-2021) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Fire inspectors and investigators be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Fire inspectors and investigators. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
- 2. Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
- 3. Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
- 4. Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
- 5. Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
- 6. Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony.
- 7. Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
- 8. Inspect buildings to locate hazardous conditions and fire code violations, such as accumulations of combustible material, electrical wiring problems, and inadequate or non-functional fire exits.
- 9. Examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood, and accelerant residue for use in determining the cause of a fire.
- 10. Instruct children about the dangers of fire.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Social Perceptiveness
- Monitoring
- Persuasion
- Instructing
- Service Orientation
Knowledge Areas
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Law and Government
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Computers and Electronics
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Fire inspectors and investigators?
Fire inspectors and investigators has an AI exposure score of 33%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Fire inspectors and investigators?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Fire inspectors and investigators is projected to grow by 3.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 14,700 workers.
What skills are needed for Fire inspectors and investigators?
Key skills for Fire inspectors and investigators include Active Listening, Writing, Speaking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Postsecondary nondegree award.
How much do Fire inspectors and investigators earn?
The median annual wage for Fire inspectors and investigators is $78,060, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Fire inspectors and investigators?
The typical entry-level education for Fire inspectors and investigators is Postsecondary nondegree award. Employers generally expect 5 years or more of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Fire inspectors and investigators?
Fire inspectors and investigators roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Fire inspectors and investigators: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (33% here).
- Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary · AI exposure 33%
- Audio and video technicians · AI exposure 33%
- Bailiffs · AI exposure 33%
- Commercial and industrial designers · AI exposure 33%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+3.8% here).
- Architectural and engineering managers · growth +3.8%
- Disc jockeys, except radio · growth +3.8%
- Facilities managers · growth +3.8%
- Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall · growth +3.8%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 14 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Fire inspectors and investigators' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Fire inspectors and investigators side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).