Prevailing Wage for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
Prevailing wage for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists (SOC 33-2022) is set by DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level Fire Prevention Technicians to senior Fire Management Officers and Fire Operations Foresters. The floor varies meaningfully by city, so where your worksite is listed on the LCA determines which wage applies to your sponsored position.
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Entry-level candidates with limited professional experience in fire inspection or prevention work. Typically recent graduates or those transitioning into the occupation who perform routine tasks under close supervision with narrowly defined duties.
Qualified professionals with a few years of hands-on fire prevention or forest inspection experience who work with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists on sponsored positions.
Experienced specialists who exercise independent judgment, manage complex fire hazard assessments, and may guide junior staff. Typically several years of progressively responsible field or regulatory work in forest fire prevention or related natural resource protection.
Fully competent senior professionals with deep expertise in fire management policy, prevention program leadership, or regional coordination. May hold a Fire Management Officer or similar senior title, setting direction for prevention programs with minimal oversight.
Prevailing Wage for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your worksite state before negotiating
Forest fire prevention roles are concentrated in western states like California, where L1 and L2 floors in metros such as Sacramento and Los Angeles run substantially above national medians. Accepting a national median offer for a California worksite often means leaving significant wage floor headroom on the table.
Watch for title mismatches with fire protection SOCs
Job postings for Fire Prevention Officers or Fire Prevention Technicians are sometimes filed under broader protective-services SOCs rather than SOC 33-2022, which can shift the prevailing wage floor entirely. Confirm the SOC code on your LCA matches this occupation before signing an offer.
Expect most federal and state agency filings at Level 2
Government agencies employing Fire Operations Foresters and similar roles typically sponsor at Level 2, reflecting a qualified candidate with field experience but not a senior leadership scope. Entry-level Level 1 filings are uncommon in this occupation outside trainee-designated programs.
Find employers who have sponsored this role before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists, so you can filter to agencies and organizations with an active visa sponsorship track record in natural resource and fire management contexts before applying.
Jobs for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 33-2022.00 alongside Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Fire Management Officer Prevailing Wage
Fire Management Officer Prevailing Wage
Fire Management Officer positions fall under SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Fire Operations Forester Prevailing Wage
Fire Operations Forester Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Fire Operations Forester for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Fire Prevention Officer Prevailing Wage
Fire Prevention Officer Prevailing Wage
Fire Prevention Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Fire Prevention Technician Prevailing Wage
Fire Prevention Technician Prevailing Wage
Fire Prevention Technician positions fall under SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Fire Technician Prevailing Wage
Fire Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Fire Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Forest Officer Prevailing Wage
Forest Officer Prevailing Wage
Forest Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Forest Patrolman Prevailing Wage
Forest Patrolman Prevailing Wage
Forest Patrolman positions fall under SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Forestry Patrolman Prevailing Wage
Forestry Patrolman Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Forestry Patrolman for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Prevailing Wage
Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Prevailing Wage
Wildfire Mitigation Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Wildfire Prevention Specialist Prevailing Wage
Wildfire Prevention Specialist Prevailing Wage
Wildfire Prevention Specialist positions fall under SOC 33-2022.00 (Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists?
DOL bases prevailing wages for SOC 33-2022 on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC publishes four wage levels derived from these regional surveys. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored position must pay at least the DOL-published prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified professionals with moderate experience, and it is the most commonly filed level in this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced specialists exercising independent judgment. Level 4 is for fully competent senior roles. Your assigned level should reflect your actual duties, experience, and degree of supervision, not just your job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same forest fire prevention role vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional OES survey data to calculate wages, so the prevailing wage reflects local labor market conditions in each metropolitan area. An employer must use the wage for the worksite address listed on the LCA, not the company headquarters. High cost-of-labor markets like the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento produce much higher floors than markets in the South or lower-wage metros in the same region.
What happens if an employer offers below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
For H-1B and similar sponsored visas, paying below the DOL prevailing wage is a legal violation. USCIS can deny or revoke the petition, and DOL can investigate the employer for back wages and civil penalties. As a sponsored worker, you are entitled to be paid at least the prevailing wage stated on the certified LCA for the duration of the sponsorship period.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up current DOL wage levels for SOC 33-2022 by metropolitan area or state. Enter the worksite location and select the correct SOC code to see all four level wages. You can also review the O*NET profile for this occupation to confirm job duties align with the SOC before checking wages. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers have sponsored this role in specific locations.
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