Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists in the U.S. is $56,870 ($27.34 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $56,870
- Mean annual wage
- $66,640
- Median hourly wage
- $27.34
- Employment
- 2,780
2,780 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,420 | $17.03 |
| 25th percentile | $43,760 | $21.04 |
| Median (50th) | $56,870 | $27.34 |
| 75th percentile | $81,500 | $39.18 |
| 90th percentile | $105,460 | $50.70 |
Highest-paying states for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| California | $97,370 | 480 |
| Utah | $90,020 | 50 |
| Louisiana | $75,480 | 90 |
| Oregon | $73,530 | 140 |
| Maine | $68,310 | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $61,700 | 310 |
| Arizona | $58,570 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $57,380 | 140 |
| Florida | $51,690 | 100 |
| Colorado | $50,170 | 210 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $31,720 median annual wage
- Alabama: $37,430 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $43,310 median annual wage
- Idaho: $47,050 median annual wage
- Georgia: $48,010 median annual wage
About this occupation
Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.
Typical tasks
- Educate the public about fire safety and prevention.
- Patrol assigned areas, looking for forest fires, hazardous conditions, and weather phenomena.
- Inspect camp sites to ensure that campers are in compliance with forest use regulations.
- Administer regulations regarding sanitation, fire prevention, violation corrections, and related forest regulations.
- Inspect forest tracts and logging areas for fire hazards such as accumulated wastes or mishandling of combustibles, and recommend appropriate fire prevention measures.
- Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 21.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 28.3% |
| Associate's degree | 16.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 25.0% |
| Master's degree | 4.0% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Security Guards$38,020
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210
- Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940
- Firefighters$59,280
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$33,580
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$106,040
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$93,530
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.