Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · SOC 33-2021
Fire Inspectors and Investigators in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Median Salary
$127,920
per year in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
+68% above
National Median
$75,920
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$61.50/hr
median hourly
Employment
210
jobs in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
BLS metro-level wage data places Fire Inspectors and Investigators pay in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at a median of $127,920 per year ($61.50/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $75,920, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays +68% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 210 fire inspectors and investigatorss are employed across the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA in SOC 33-2021.
The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pay distribution spans from $79,180 at the 10th percentile to $151,140 at the 90th — a 1.9× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $96,550 and the 75th at $130,740, so half of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue-based fire inspectors and investigatorss earn within that middle band.
Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide WA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.
Salary Range in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Annual Salary Distribution
10th Percentile
$79,180
25th Percentile
$96,550
Median
$127,920
75th Percentile
$130,740
90th Percentile
$151,140
Top Paying Jobs in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Similar Occupations in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Other roles inside the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA from the same SOC major group.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.