Occupation overview

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists is $56,870, or $27.34 per hour. About 2,780 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $97,370 in California to $31,720 in Mississippi.

Median annual
$56,870
Median hourly
$27.34
Entry level (P10)
$35,420
Top 10% (P90)
$105,460
Employment
2,780
States covered
15

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$35,420
$43,760
$56,870
$81,500
$35,420$56,870$105,460
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $56,870.

Salary by state

All 15 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1California$97,370$46.814801.48
2Utah$90,020$43.28501.60
3Louisiana$75,480$36.29902.66
4Oregon$73,530$35.351403.87
5Maine$68,310$32.84604.82
6Oklahoma$61,700$29.6631010.21
7Arizona$58,570$28.16400.71
8New Jersey$57,380$27.591401.82
9Florida$51,690$24.851000.54
10Colorado$50,170$24.122104.03
11Georgia$48,010$23.083504.04
12Idaho$47,050$22.62502.95
13Arkansas$43,310$20.821405.88
14Alabama$37,430$18.00401.19
15Mississippi$31,720$15.251004.58

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists make?

The median annual wage for forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists in the United States is $56,870, or $27.34 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $35,420, and the top 10% earn $105,460.

How many forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists are employed in the U.S.?

About 2,780 people work as forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists nationwide.

Which state pays forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists the most?

California pays the most at a median of $97,370, followed by Utah ($90,020) and Louisiana ($75,480).

Which state pays forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists the least?

Mississippi has the lowest median at $31,720.

Where are forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Oklahoma at 10.21×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes