Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
Science, Technology, Engineering and MathematicsO*NET 17-2111.02United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $114,218
- Projected change
- +7.4%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 21.95K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
88.5% of the workforce
Growing to 23.57K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What fire-prevention and protection engineers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Advise architects, builders, and other construction personnel on fire prevention equipment and techniques and on fire code and standard interpretation and compliance.
- Design fire detection equipment, alarm systems, and fire extinguishing devices and systems.
- Inspect buildings or building designs to determine fire protection system requirements and potential problems in areas such as water supplies, exit locations, and construction materials.
- Prepare and write reports detailing specific fire prevention and protection issues, such as work performed, revised codes or standards, and proposed review schedules.
- Review building plans to verify compliance with fire code.
- Consult with authorities to discuss safety regulations and to recommend changes as necessary.
- Evaluate fire department performance and the laws and regulations affecting fire prevention or fire safety.
- Direct the purchase, modification, installation, testing, maintenance, and operation of fire prevention and protection systems.
- Attend workshops, seminars, or conferences to present or obtain information regarding fire prevention and protection.
- Determine causes of fires and ways in which they could have been prevented.
- Develop training materials and conduct training sessions on fire protection.
- Study the relationships between ignition sources and materials to determine how fires start.
- Develop plans for the prevention of destruction by fire, wind, and water.
- Conduct research on fire retardants and the fire safety of materials and devices.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $67,225
- 25th percentile
- $89,719
- 50th percentile
- $114,218
- 75th percentile
- $143,705
- 90th percentile
- $175,224
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $114,218 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+7.4%faster than average
202521,950 jobs
2035 projected23,571 jobs
1,621 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 88.5%
- Associate degree
- 3.9%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 3.9%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 3.9%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Fire Protection Engineers1,584 postings
- 02Plumbing/Fire Protection Engineers136 postings
- 03Fire Alarm Engineers133 postings
- 04System Safety Engineers95 postings
- 05Fire Protection Designers86 postings
- 06Fire Protection Project Managers36 postings
- 07Fire Protection Engineering Interns30 postings
- 08Fire Protection Consultants27 postings
- 09Fire Alarm Designers25 postings
- 10Fire Safety Engineers23 postings
- 11Fire Protection Inspectors7 postings
- 12Protection Engineers6 postings
- 13Fire Sprinkler System Designers5 postings
- 14Fire and Life Safety Technicians5 postings
- 15Associate Principals4 postings
- 16Principal Engineers4 postings
- 17Adjunct Industrial Engineering Faculties3 postings
- 18Energy Systems Engineers3 postings
- 19Fire Sprinkler Designers3 postings
- 20Life Safety Consultants3 postings
Top employers
- 01Jacobs Solutions354 postings
- 02CDM Smith115 postings
- 03Jensen Hughes113 postings
- 04Stantec99 postings
- 05Solv Energy51 postings
- 06GHD41 postings
- 07Mcmillen38 postings
- 08Pond & Company38 postings
- 09Coffman Engineers33 postings
- 10CannonDesign31 postings
- 11Centrus Energy Corp29 postings
- 12Actalent27 postings
- 13Leidos26 postings
- 14Clark Nexsen23 postings
- 15Exponent23 postings
- 16Interface Engineering22 postings
- 17AECOM21 postings
- 18GPAC21 postings
- 19Sirina Fire Protection19 postings
- 20Black & Veatch17 postings
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