How long does the training take?

Typically no schooling after high school, then a few months to a year of training on the job, then less than 5 years of related work first. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists make?

The US median is $56,870 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.

Where can you train for this work?

288 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

🎓 My University View

Home › Careers › Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists

Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Protective service · SOC 33-2022

$56,870US median pay, 2025

+13.1%Projected growth, 2025–35

400Openings per year

On the jobUsual way in

How you get in

Most people are hired and trained on the job, so school is optional. A program can still help you stand out.

High school diploma or equivalent (a program is optional for this job)
Less than 5 years of experience in a related job
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Work in: forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Fire Science/Fire-fighting	CIP 43.0203	269
Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services	CIP 03.0208	16
Wildland/Forest Firefighting and Investigation	CIP 43.0206	16

See the 288 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically no schooling after high school, then a few months to a year of training on the job, then less than 5 years of related work first. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists make?: The US median is $56,870 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.
Where can you train for this work?: 288 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

Related careers in Protective service

Security guards · Police and sheriff's patrol officers · Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers · Correctional officers and jailers · Firefighters · First-line supervisors of police and detectives · Detectives and criminal investigators · First-line supervisors of security workers