Compare A Energy Auditor ↔ B Fire Captain

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Your route

2 moves · +$16,900 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Fire Protection Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Fire Protection Engineer hold one), 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 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
Energy Auditor to Fire Protection Engineer +$58,630 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.88 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Fire Protection Engineer hold one), 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
Fire Protection Engineer to Fire Captain -$41,730 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.54 (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, $16,900 more a year than all Energy Auditors ($64,810), every experience level.

Fire Captain: 96% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.8 times the share for Energy Auditor (34%).

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

$64,810+$16,900$81,710

Gates on the route: Fire Protection Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Fire Protection Engineer hold one), 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 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 +8.2% Texas, 1,860 openings a year

B +9.6% Texas, 700 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

34%+62 pts96%

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

2.6 / 5+0.32.8 / 5

Hazardous conditions+1.88Hazardous conditions: A 1.97, B 3.85
Hazardous equipment+1.63Hazardous equipment: A 2.24, B 3.87
Protective gear+1.05Protective gear: A 2.36, B 3.41
Very hot or cold-0.87Very hot or cold: A 3.29, B 2.42
Bending or twisting+0.58Bending or twisting: A 2.24, B 2.82

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 24% do).

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: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 34%).

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
Judgment and Decision Making
Reading Comprehension
Active Learning

To build: 6

Management of Personnel Resources +1.38
Instructing +0.74
Social Perceptiveness +0.74
Coordination +0.62
Time Management +0.62
Service Orientation +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Energy Auditor 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 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.