Fire Science Career Opportunities

*National job opportunities data is based on national medians and figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational outlook handbook.
*Local job opportunities data is based on estimated base pay and figures from Indeed.com.

Fire Protection Administration

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics* (BLS) predicts that employment of firefighters will increase by 6 percent before 2029 and employment of fire inspectors and hazardous materials workers is projected to grow 8 percent in the same time period.

Leadership within the fire industry will be increasingly important to ensure operations run smoothly and the emergency needs of communities are met.

Job Opportunities Include:

• Firefighter
• Fire chief
• Fire marshal
• Fire safety director or officer
• Building inspector
• Fire investigator
• Hazardous materials specialist

Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology

Fire protection engineers have some of the highest starting salaries among all college graduates.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics* (BLS) employment of health and safety engineers is projected to grow 4 percent by 2029. As buildings, products, and processes continue to become more complex and new regulations are created, these engineers will be needed to reduce costs, save lives, and produce safe consumer products. A bachelor’s degree is required for most entry-level positions. 

Job opportunities include:

• Fire protection and prevention systems designer
• Building inspector
• Fire safety director
• Insurance company consultant
• Industrial safety specialist
• Fire protection and safety engineer
• Fire protection technician and related occupations