Compare A Environmental Inspector ↔ B Fire Captain

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Your route

2 moves · +$6,340 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Safety Specialist: experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Fire Captain: license depends on the work (Texas: paid, appointed firefighters need TCFP Structure Fire Suppression certification; the Fire Officer certificate for captains is optional under state law, though departments may require it).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Environmental Inspector to Safety Specialist +$4,290 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Occupational Health and Safety Specialists as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.88.
- Gates: experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Operations Analysis, Social Perceptiveness, Systems Analysis
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Safety Specialist to Fire Captain +$2,050 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.74 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: license depends on the work (Texas: paid, appointed firefighters need TCFP Structure Fire Suppression certification; the Fire Officer certificate for captains is optional under state law, though departments may require it).

Side by side

All First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers: Texas median $81,710, $6,340 more a year than all Environmental Compliance Inspectors ($75,370), every experience level.

Fire Captain: 96% work more than 40 hours a week, about 3.9 times the share for Environmental Inspector (25%).

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$75,370+$6,340$81,710

Gates on the route: Safety Specialist: experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET, most common); Fire Captain: license depends on the work (Texas: paid, appointed firefighters need TCFP Structure Fire Suppression certification; the Fire Officer certificate for captains is optional under state law, though departments may require it).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +12.1% Texas, 3,540 openings a year

B +9.6% Texas, 700 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

25%+71 pts96%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

2.1 / 5+0.72.8 / 5

Protective gear+1.88Protective gear: A 1.53, B 3.41
Hazardous conditions+1.75Hazardous conditions: A 2.1, B 3.85
Hazardous equipment+1.47Hazardous equipment: A 2.4, B 3.87
Cramped space+1.42Cramped space: A 1.75, B 3.17
Bending or twisting+1.12Bending or twisting: A 1.7, B 2.82

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 75%).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 2% do).

License

A No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).

B Texas: paid, appointed firefighters need TCFP Structure Fire Suppression certification; the Fire Officer certificate for captains is optional under state law, though departments may require it.

Experience

A Most common related work experience: none (O*NET: 25%).

B Most common related work experience: none (O*NET: 27%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Speaking
Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Complex Problem Solving

To build: 5

Management of Personnel Resources +1.26
Coordination +0.62
Instructing +0.62
Service Orientation +0.62
Time Management +0.62

Make this your goal

Save Environmental Inspector to Fire Captain as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 5 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.