Compare A Environmental Scientist ↔ B Fire Inspector

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Your route

2 moves · -$9,610 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Safety Engineer: license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).
Move 2, to Fire Inspector: Texas: TCFP Inspector certification is required for fire inspectors employed and appointed by a fire department (approved training and exam). State Fire Marshal licenses: not checked (unreachable).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Environmental Scientist to Safety Engineer +$31,440 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Safety Engineer to Fire Inspector -$41,050 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.83 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: Texas: TCFP Inspector certification is required for fire inspectors employed and appointed by a fire department (approved training and exam). State Fire Marshal licenses: not checked (unreachable).

Side by side

All Fire Inspectors and Investigators: Texas median $82,390, $9,610 less a year than all Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health ($92,000), every experience level.

Fire Inspector: 41% work more than 40 hours a week, about 3.8 times the share for Environmental Scientist (11%).

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

$92,000-$9,610$82,390

Gates on the route: Safety Engineer: license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work); Fire Inspector: Texas: TCFP Inspector certification is required for fire inspectors employed and appointed by a fire department (approved training and exam). State Fire Marshal licenses: not checked (unreachable).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +15.4% Texas, 440 openings a year

B +3.4% United States, 1,500 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

11%+30 pts41%

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

1.6 / 5+1.12.7 / 5

Outdoors, all weather+1.81Outdoors, all weather: A 2.52, B 4.33
Very hot or cold+1.71Very hot or cold: A 1.72, B 3.43
High places+1.36High places: A 1.16, B 2.52
Standing+1.30Standing: A 1.95, B 3.25
Cramped space+1.25Cramped space: A 1.27, B 2.52

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 78%).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 4% 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: TCFP Inspector certification is required for fire inspectors employed and appointed by a fire department (approved training and exam). State Fire Marshal licenses: not checked (unreachable).

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 29%).

B Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 25%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Speaking
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Instructing

To build: 0

Make this your goal

Save Environmental Scientist to Fire Inspector 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. Free with an account.