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As of October 2025, the average fire protection engineer salary is $82,467 annually, or $40 per hour. This role is critical in ensuring safety in various environments, from commercial buildings to industrial facilities. Salaries can fluctuate based on factors such as location, experience, and industry.
Some states offer significantly higher salaries for fire protection engineers. States like California and Texas rank among the highest, driven by demand in urban development and infrastructure projects. Additionally, industries such as construction and government typically provide better compensation due to the complexity of projects and regulations involved.
Salary insights reveal that fire protection engineers in specialized sectors often command higher pay. For instance, those working in consulting or research roles may see salaries exceeding the average. Understanding these dynamics can help professionals navigate their career paths more effectively, enabling them to target opportunities that align with their financial goals.
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The average fire protection engineer salary in California, New Mexico, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average fire protection engineer salary states are Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Kansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $107,981 | $51.91 |
| 2 | California | $114,394 | $55.00 |
| 3 | Nevada | $106,501 | $51.20 |
| 4 | Idaho | $96,303 | $46.30 |
| 5 | Oregon | $98,788 | $47.49 |
| 6 | Michigan | $97,004 | $46.64 |
| 7 | Ohio | $102,648 | $49.35 |
| 8 | Arizona | $94,170 | $45.27 |
| 9 | Utah | $89,480 | $43.02 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $103,111 | $49.57 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $97,963 | $47.10 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $96,283 | $46.29 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $95,783 | $46.05 |
| 14 | Kentucky | $101,120 | $48.62 |
| 15 | Colorado | $90,868 | $43.69 |
| 16 | Washington | $90,250 | $43.39 |
| 17 | Delaware | $87,713 | $42.17 |
| 18 | Alaska | $89,351 | $42.96 |
| 19 | Texas | $85,780 | $41.24 |
| 20 | Indiana | $86,575 | $41.62 |
| 21 | Montana | $82,724 | $39.77 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $85,345 | $41.03 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $86,997 | $41.83 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $90,238 | $43.38 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $78,156 | $37.58 |
| 26 | Maine | $85,002 | $40.87 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $86,086 | $41.39 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $86,701 | $41.68 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $81,346 | $39.11 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $80,919 | $38.90 |
| 31 | Alabama | $79,630 | $38.28 |
| 32 | Vermont | $84,177 | $40.47 |
| 33 | New York | $83,599 | $40.19 |
| 34 | Virginia | $79,552 | $38.25 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $81,733 | $39.29 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $83,042 | $39.92 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $79,988 | $38.46 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $77,895 | $37.45 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $79,069 | $38.01 |
| 40 | Illinois | $78,349 | $37.67 |
| 41 | Missouri | $79,576 | $38.26 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $80,326 | $38.62 |
| 43 | Maryland | $74,870 | $36.00 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $63,742 | $30.65 |
| 45 | Georgia | $74,099 | $35.62 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $75,718 | $36.40 |
| 47 | Florida | $66,611 | $32.02 |
| 48 | Iowa | $75,626 | $36.36 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $73,684 | $35.42 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $62,823 | $30.20 |
| 51 | Kansas | $67,924 | $32.66 |
The highest-paying cities for fire protection engineers are Walnut Creek, CA, Albuquerque, NM, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walnut Creek, CA | $120,905 | $58.13 |
| 2 | Albuquerque, NM | $108,473 | $52.15 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $106,610 | $51.25 |
| 4 | Toledo, OH | $102,636 | $49.34 |
| 5 | Richmond, KY | $101,364 | $48.73 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $97,977 | $47.10 |
| 7 | Oak Ridge, TN | $95,871 | $46.09 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $94,593 | $45.48 |
| 9 | Lakewood, CO | $90,948 | $43.73 |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $90,879 | $43.69 |
| 11 | Anchorage, AK | $90,221 | $43.38 |
| 12 | Jersey City, NJ | $90,208 | $43.37 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $86,489 | $41.58 |
| 14 | Framingham, MA | $86,068 | $41.38 |
| 15 | New York, NY | $83,783 | $40.28 |
| 16 | Kansas City, MO | $79,723 | $38.33 |
| 17 | Alexandria, VA | $79,435 | $38.19 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $78,508 | $37.74 |
| 19 | Aiken, SC | $78,033 | $37.52 |
| 20 | Baltimore, MD | $74,920 | $36.02 |
A fire protection engineer's salary ranges from $61,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $110,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $110,000 | $9,167 | $53 |
| 75th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| Average | $82,467 | $6,872 | $40 |
| 25th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
The highest paying types of fire protection engineers are risk prevention engineer, protection engineer, and senior fire protection engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Sprinkler Designer | $58,386 | $4,866 | $28.07 | 47,442 |
| Engineer | $92,077 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Protection Engineer | $100,632 | $8,386 | $48.38 | 55,325 |
Top companies hiring fire protection engineers now:
Fire protection engineer salaries at Sandia National Labs and Tesla are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average fire protection engineer salary at companies like Los Alamos National Laboratory and S.A. Comunale Co. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sandia National Labs | $110,175 | $52.97 |
| 2 | Tesla | $96,417 | $46.35 |
| 3 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $95,302 | $45.82 |
| 4 | S.A. Comunale Co. | $93,728 | $45.06 |
| 5 | Country-Wide Insurance | $92,388 | $44.42 |
| 6 | Westinghouse Appliances Australia | $92,098 | $44.28 |
| 7 | Parsons | $90,796 | $43.65 |
| 8 | Energy Northwest | $90,136 | $43.33 |
| 9 | Hilti | $90,064 | $43.30 |
| 10 | Constellation Energy Partners | $89,490 | $43.02 |
| 11 | Insurance Incorporated | $88,943 | $42.76 |
| 12 | Burns & McDonnell | $86,725 | $41.69 |
| 13 | BWX Technologies | $85,364 | $41.04 |
| 14 | Exponent | $84,642 | $40.69 |
| 15 | Fluor Corporation | $84,286 | $40.52 |
| 16 | Ross & Baruzzini | $84,214 | $40.49 |
| 17 | RG Vanderweil | $83,885 | $40.33 |
| 18 | Swanson Rink Inc | $83,421 | $40.11 |
| 19 | Michael Baker | $83,306 | $40.05 |
| 20 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $83,276 | $40.04 |
The average fire protection engineer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $90,705 | $43.61 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $86,649 | $41.66 |
| 3 | Professional | $80,630 | $38.76 |
| 4 | Construction | $79,876 | $38.40 |
| 5 | Energy | $79,028 | $37.99 |
| 6 | Government | $78,179 | $37.59 |
| 7 | Health Care | $75,320 | $36.21 |
The average fire protection engineer salary has risen by $16,426 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average fire protection engineer earned $66,041 annually, but today, they earn $82,467 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for fire protection engineers over the last decade.
Compare fire protection engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare fire protection engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $82,500 | $39.65 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $80,000 | $38.46 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $78,000 | $37.50 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $77,500 | $37.24 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $75,900 | $36.48 | +2.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Baker | Fire Protection Engineer (Hybrid or Remote) | Idaho Falls, ID | 06/29/2025 | $81,000 |
| Morrison-Maierle Inc. | Fire Protection Engineer | Bozeman, MT | 06/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| Kfi Engineers Pc | Fire Protection Engineer | Fargo, ND | 06/29/2025 | $110,000 |
| Syska Hennessy Group | Plumbing/Fire Protection Engineer III/Designer-IV | Jacksonville, FL | 06/29/2025 | $60,067 |
| Guidehouse | Fire Protection Engineer (TS) | Washington, DC | 06/29/2025 | $98,000 |
| Usc | Fire Protection Engineer | Parksdale, CA | 06/28/2025 | $99,443 |
| Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates | Fire Protection Engineer | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $89,040 |
| Coffman Engineers | Fire Protection Engineer Years) | Hawaii | 06/26/2025 | $90,000 |
| Kiewit | Fire Protection Engineer-Industrial & Water Engineering | Lenexa, KS | 06/25/2025 | $150,000 |
| Kiewit | Fire Protection Engineer-Industrial & Water Engineering | Denver, CO | 06/25/2025 | $150,000 |
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