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Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists out-earn Security Guards by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists land at $56,870 and Security Guards at $38,020. The education gap is real: forest fire inspectors and prevention specialist programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists is California ($97,370); for Security Guards it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
Security Guards
Median salary
$56,870
$38,020
Hourly rate
$27.34/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$35,420
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$105,460
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
2,780
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
14.6%
0.4%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists median pay.

State
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
Security Guards
California
$97,370
$43,240
Utah
$90,020
$42,700
Louisiana
$75,480
$32,240
Oregon
$73,530
$45,500
Maine
$68,310
$39,100
Oklahoma
$61,700
$36,270
Arizona
$58,570
$38,290
New Jersey
$57,380
$38,880
Florida
$51,690
$35,900
Colorado
$50,170
$45,150
Georgia
$48,010
$34,980
Idaho
$47,050
$38,300
Arkansas
$43,310
$35,770
Alabama
$37,430
$33,720
Mississippi
$31,720
$29,180

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists or Security Guards?

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists earn more nationally. The median is $56,870 for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists versus $38,020 for Security Guards, a difference of $19K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists or Security Guards?

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 14.6% projected growth, compared to 0.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists or Security Guards?

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Security Guards requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists at $97,370/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists vs. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists earn $97,370 vs. $43,240 for Security Guards. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guards by take-home payExplore →How to become a forest fire inspectors and prevention specialistsGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →