Fire Science Employment Potential

Firefighters are public servants who risk their lives to help fight fires and handle other emergencies within a community. This career requires continuous training to ensure a person has the knowledge and safety skills necessary to do the job. Due to the nature of the work, this is a career that will always need skilled and qualified workers to carry out the essential job duties.
 
According to the BLS, as of May 2013, firefighters earned an average annual salary of $48,270. States with the highest number of firefighters included California and Texas, with California paying considerably more than the national average. Other types of firefighters and fire experts also exist. Firemen can advance into the following careers and specializations:

• Fire inspector.
• Fire investigator.
• Forest fire inspector and prevention specialist.
• Hazardous material worker.
• Fire captain.
• Fire chief.

With advancement comes an increase in annual earnings. As of November 2014, PayScale.com reported that the median yearly wages for a fire chief were $74,555. Fire captain median earnings were $64,721 per year. Deputy fire chiefs made a median salary of $80,148 annually.

For additional information, visit http://www.dol.ks.gov/LMIS/ for local wage information or U.S. Department of labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupation Handbook for national wage information.