Fire Science Career Opportunities

EKU Online > Online Fire Science Degrees & Certificates > Fire Science Career Opportunities

Modern Fire Professionals Don’t Just Fight Fires

The fire field has evolved dramatically to offer diverse and challenging career opportunities in the following fields:

  • Fire Protection Administration
  • Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation
  • Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology

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Popular Fire Science Careers

Firefighters

National Median Annual Salary
$52,500/year
6% growth increase thru 2029
Local Estimated Base Salary
$46,438/year
Updated May 2021
Highest paying cities for Firefighters in Kentucky
Fort Knox, KY
$54,305
Louisville, KY
$54,113
Richmond, KY
$51,419
Bachelor's typically preferred for entry-level positions

Fire Investigators

National Median Annual Salary
$62,120/year
8% growth increase thru 2029
Local Estimated Base Salary
$67,945/year
updated May 2021
Top Companies for Fire Investigators in Kentucky:
Liberty Mutual Insurance
$82,129
Rimkus Consulting Group
$67,299
DONAN
$89,440
Bachelor's typically preferred for entry-level positions

*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.

Employment Opportunities Include:

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, Arson and Explosion Investigation

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics* (BLS) employment of fire inspectors and investigators is projected to grow 8 percent by 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Fire inspectors will be needed to assess potential fire hazards in newly constructed residential, commercial, public, and other buildings in the coming decade. Fire inspectors will also be needed to ensure that existing buildings meet updated and revised federal, state, and local fire codes each year. Although the number of structural fires occurring across the country has been falling for some time, fire investigators will still be needed to determine the cause of fires and explosions.

Job opportunities include:

  • Fire marshal
  • Fire investigator (public and private)
  • ATF agent
  • Firefighter
  • Building inspector
  • Fire and arson investigations detective
  • Insurance company consultant

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
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