New York City Fire Department safety inspectors, officially known as fire protection inspectors, inspect buildings, businesses, commercial kitchens, air conditioning and heating units, air valves and emergency fuel supply tanks for violations of New York fire codes. By identifying violations and demanding rectification of problems, inspectors protect the public from fire hazards. FDNY safety inspector salaries depend upon seniority and the the individual's position.

FDNY Fire Inspector Salaries

As of 2009, FDNY paid a fire protection inspector a minimum of $39,401 a year. According to statistics published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual fire inspector and investigator salary for the New York City metro area stood at $60,020 as of 2010. In the same year, a director of fire alarm inspection earned a minimum salary of $54,740 with less than two years experience and a minimum salary of $59,932 with two or more years of experience. More fire inspectors and investigators work in the New York metro area than any other metro area in the United States.

NY/NJ Fire Inspector Salaries

According to the BLS, the average fire inspector in New York state earned a salary of $57,940 annually as of May 2010, or $2,080 less than the average FDNY inspector or investigator. Fire inspectors in Albany, New York, earned $56,670 in 2010, while those in Rochester earned $54,030 and those in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metro area earned $55,480. Fire inspectors in northern New Jersey earned a higher salary than those in New York City, making $62,990 in the Newark area and $60,680 in the Edison-New Brunswick metro area.

National and Regional Fire Inspector Salaries

As of May 2010, the average national fire inspector and investigator salary stood at $56,160 annually. Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and Iowa constitute the five states with the highest average salaries for fire inspectors. Fire inspectors in New York state earn slightly less in 2010 than those in New Jersey, significantly less than those in Massachusetts, and substantially more than those in Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey. The metro areas with the highest salaries for fire inspectors are Oakland, California; Seattle; Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, California; Las Vegas; and Portland.

Other FDNY Salaries

FDNY safety inspectors earn a slightly higher starting salary than firefighters. While the minimum starting salary for fire protection inspectors stood at $39,401 in 2009, the starting salary for a firefighter in 2011 stands at $39,370. First-year firefighters earn fringe benefits of $3,704, for a total first year salary of $43,074. The department makes no mention of inspector fringe benefits. Salaries for inspectors with one to more than five years experience range from $41,311 to $76,488, or $49,470 to $99,104 with fringe benefits. FDNY lieutenants earn $125,848 with fringe benefits, while captains earn $149,163 and battalion chiefs earn $161,281 with fringe benefits. Civilian employees of the fire department earn between $47,251 and $56,937 as of 2011.