Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

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

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialistss out-earn Security Guardss by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialistss land at $56,870 and Security Guardss 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 Specialistss is California ($97,370); for Security Guardss 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)
N/A
N/A
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 Specialistss or Security Guardss?

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

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

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

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 Specialistss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialistss 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 Specialistss earn $97,370 vs. $43,240 for Security Guardss. 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 Specialistss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guardss by take-home payExplore →How to become a forest fire inspectors and prevention specialistsGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →