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Fire Investigation & Prevention

Types of Degrees Fire Investigation & Prevention Majors Are Earning

Those studying Fire Investigation & Prevention can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1
Associate’s Degree	12
Bachelor’s Degree	39
Master’s Degree	5

What Fire Investigation & Prevention Majors Need to Know

Programs in Fire Investigation & Prevention build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Fire Investigation & Prevention graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Fire Investigation & Prevention emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Public Safety and Security — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Fire Investigation & Prevention program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Fire Investigation & Prevention careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Fire Investigation & Prevention graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.6 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.4 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.4 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Fire Investigation & Prevention professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Consolidated Model of Fire and Smoke Transport CFAST	Analytical or scientific software	—
Code database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
National Fire Incident Reporting System NFIRS	Data base user interface and query software	—
Xerox Government systems FIREHOUSE Software	Human resources software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Fire Investigation & Prevention graduates include:

• Fire Prevention Officer
• Fire Equipment Inspector
• Inspector
• Fire Prevention Specialist
• Fire Protection Inspector
• Certified Fire Investigator (CFI)
• Code Official
• Arson and Bomb Investigator
• Building Inspector
• Fire Alarm Systems Technician (Fire Alarm Systems Tech)
• Alarm Inspector
• Water-Based Fire Protection Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Technician
• Fire Sprinkler Foreman
• Fire Extinguisher Technician (Fire Extinguisher Tech)
• Fire Safety Specialist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Fire Investigation & Prevention graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	25.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	24.2%
Some college courses	22.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	15.5%
Less than a high school diploma	5.9%
Bachelor’s degree	3.6%
Master’s degree	1.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Fire Investigation & Prevention?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 72.5% of Fire Investigation & Prevention degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	19	27.5%
Men	50	72.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Fire Investigation & Prevention graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	55	79.7%
Hispanic or Latino	4	5.8%
Black or African American	2	2.9%
Two or More Races	3	4.3%
Race Unknown	2	2.9%
International Students	3	4.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Fire Investigation & Prevention Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Fire Investigation & Prevention graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$63,281
4 years	$64,817
5 years	$72,249

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $72,249 — roughly 14% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Fire Investigation & Prevention Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Fire Investigation & Prevention graduates earn a median of $64,817 four years after completion — roughly 71% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Fire Protection	43.02
Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician	43.0201
Fire Protection, Other	43.0299
Fire Science/Fire-fighting	43.0203
Fire Services Administration	43.0202
Fire Systems Technology	43.0204
Wildland/Forest Firefighting and Investigation	43.0206

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.