Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIC
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.
Also called: Engineer, Fire Protection Consultant, Fire Protection Engineer (FPE), Professional Fire Protection Engineer, Consulting Engineer, Forensic Fire Protection Engineer, Licensed Fire Protection Engineer.
O*NET 17-2111.02
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $115,160
- Middle half earn $90,930 to $142,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 85% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
- US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034
- +4% · As fast as average
- 23,800 jobs in 2024, projected 24,900. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Health and safety engineers".
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Review building plans to verify compliance with fire code.
- Prepare and write reports detailing specific fire prevention and protection issues, such as work performed, revised codes or standards, and proposed review schedules.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Critical Thinking4.3 / 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0 / 5
- Speaking4.0 / 5
- Active Listening3.9 / 5
- Writing3.9 / 5
- Active Learning3.9 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.9 / 5
- Building and Construction4.5 / 5
- Design4.5 / 5
- Mathematics4.2 / 5
- Public Safety and Security4.2 / 5
- English Language4.1 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic89
- Investigative70
- Artistic8
- Social31
- Enterprising30
- Conventional58
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- fire prevention and protection engineer · DE Brandschutzingenieur/Brandschutzingenieurin · FR ingénieur sécurité incendie/ingénieure sécurité incendie
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Quantity surveyors (2453)45,300 employed
- Engineering professionals n.e.c. (2129)124,800 employed
- Quality control and planning engineers (2481)35,700 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €61,714 |
| Germany | €59,529 |
| Ireland | €56,877 |
| Austria | €55,374 |
| Netherlands | €53,595 |
| Sweden | €43,567 |
| France | €41,515 |
| Spain | €35,735 |
| Italy | €33,649 |
| Portugal | €26,072 |
| Poland | €14,380 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the higher third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.99. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-2111).
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