# Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers

> Research causes of fires, determine fire protection methods, and design or recommend materials or equipment such as structural components or fire-detection equipment to assist organizations in safeguarding life and property against fire, explosion, and related hazards.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fire-prevention-and-protection-engineers
- SOC code: 17-2111.02
- Career family: Architecture and engineering
- Median annual pay: $115,160 (10th percentile $68,420, 90th percentile $171,250)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +5.4%
- Openings a year: 1,200
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors".

## Interest profile (code RIC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 89 |
| Investigative (I) | 70 |
| Artistic (A) | 8 |
| Social (S) | 31 |
| Enterprising (E) | 30 |
| Conventional (C) | 58 |

## What you'd do

- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 91/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 87/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 85/100)
- Getting Information (importance 84/100)
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment (importance 80/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 79/100)
- Processing Information (importance 75/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 74/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 73/100)

## Skills

Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Learning, Active Listening, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Writing

## Knowledge

Engineering and Technology, Building and Construction, Design, Mathematics, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Physics, Chemistry, Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical

## Also called

Consulting Engineer, Engineer, Fire Alarm Systems Technician (Fire Alarm Systems Tech), Fire Prevention Research Engineer, Fire Protection Commissioning Engineer, Fire Protection Consultant, Fire Protection Design Engineer, Fire Protection Designer, Fire Protection Engineer (FPE), Fire Safety Engineer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1414) (CIP 1414, 169 colleges)
- [Engineering, Other](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1499) (CIP 1499, 149 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Stanford University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/stanford-university-2589) | Engineering, Other | $72,063 | $115,206 | not reported |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | Engineering, Other | $84,093 | $112,019 | $21,500 |
| [Louisiana Tech University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/louisiana-tech-university-1547) | Engineering, Other | $64,275 | $105,080 | not reported |
| [California State University-Chico](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-chico-366) | Engineering, Other | not reported | $103,272 | not reported |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $61,084 | $103,016 | $8,000 |
| [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SLO](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo-slo-360) | Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $79,657 | $102,702 | $16,109 |
| [Ohio State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-state-university-main-campus-2000) | Engineering, Other | $83,095 | $97,144 | $19,071 |
| [Oregon State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/oregon-state-university-2035) | Engineering, Other | not reported | $94,278 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Fire Inspectors and Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fire-inspectors-and-investigators): $75,920 median pay
- [Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/forest-fire-inspectors-and-prevention-specialists): $56,870 median pay
- [Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/health-and-safety-engineers-except-mining-safety-engineers-and-inspectors): $115,160 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-firefighting-and-prevention-workers): $93,530 median pay
- [Firefighters](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/firefighters): $59,280 median pay
- [Construction and Building Inspectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/construction-and-building-inspectors): $74,690 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.