Pay Scale

• Fire marshals earned an average annual salary of $56,160 per year, as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The typical salary for fire marshals ranges from $34,210 to $85,260 per year, with the lowest 10 percent making more than the former figure and the upper 10 percent making more than $85,260. Fire marshals earned a median salary of $52,230, with the middle 50 percent earning between $42,120 and $68,730 per year.
  
  

Employers

• A fire marshal's employer -- more specifically, the type of employer -- plays a role in determining how much he is paid. According to the BLS, fire marshals working for local government agencies made an average annual salary of $57,990 per year in 2010. Those working for state governments made an average of $47,340. Fire inspectors working for private insurance carriers made an average salary of $74,880 per year, while those working for security services made an average of $53,530.
  
  

Location

• Location also plays a role in determining how much the fire marshal is paid. According to the BLS, the highest-paid marshals worked in Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and Iowa, earning average annual salaries of more than $64,000 in 2010. The city of Gaithersburg, Maryland, offers a salary range of $65,561 to $102,128, as of 2011, for its fire marshals, while the Texas Tribune reports that fire marshals in Harris County, Texas, made a median salary of $50,336 per year.
  
  

Qualifications

• Fire marshals generally need to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a field such as fire science, unlike firefighters who typically need to only have an associate degree. Degrees in areas such as fire protection or construction will sometimes suffice as well. Fire marshals also need to have significant work experience, generally working five or more years as an inspector before moving up to become a director or supervisor. Certification and licensing may be required as well, but this usually depends upon the state in which the marshal works.