Sources: Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Classification & Compensation, Ohio State Classification Plan — Pay Range Booklet and Pay Range Schedules (rates effective July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Ohio state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Ohio sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Fire Safety Inspector Trainee Class 26520 Grade 28 | $23.65 – $28.76 a hour $49,192 – $59,821 a year 7 steps
|
| Fire Safety Inspector Class 26521 Grade 32 | $31.47 – $46.08 a hour $65,458 – $95,846 a year 9 steps
|
Schedule: OCSEA Pay Range Schedule (Rates Effective July 2026). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions (hourly × 2,080). Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Classification & Compensation, Ohio State Classification Plan — Pay Range Booklet and Pay Range Schedules (rates effective July 2026). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Ohio, all employers Sourced
Fire Inspectors and Investigators (SOC 33-2021) in Ohio, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | OH |
|---|---|
| Workers | 520 |
| 10th percentile | $42,580 |
| Median | $59,280 |
| 90th percentile | $130,530 |
| National median, government employers | $76,670 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Employers in Ohio
464 fire departments in Ohio, largest Columbus Division of Fire, Cincinnati Fire Department, Cleveland Division of Fire.
Source: U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA), National Fire Department Registry. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Ohio
Certified Fire Inspector I/II
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam PrepICC Certified Fire Marshal (FM)
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam PrepICC Fire Code Specialist (FCS)
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam PrepICC Fire Inspector I (F1)
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam PrepICC Fire Inspector II (F2)
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam PrepNFPA Certified Fire Inspector I (CFI-I)
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam PrepNFPA Certified Fire Inspector II
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Fire Inspector / Fire Marshal page.