Also called: IHC Superintendent, Hotshot Supervisor
Leads an elite 20-person 'hotshot' crew that hikes into the hardest parts of wildfires to cut firelines.
Your crew gets dispatched anywhere in the country with two hours' notice. You scout the fire, choose tactics, and keep your people safe while they swing tools and run chainsaws for 16-hour shifts, sleeping in the dirt for two weeks at a time.
Federal base pay plus large overtime during fire season.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. Years of experience working up from crewmember, plus many NWCG fire qualifications.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Fire Science, Forestry.
Growing faster than average.
Low risk for 10 years. AI maps and drones help scout fire; leading a 20-person crew on the fireline is human work in growing demand.
Classes: PE or weight training, Earth science, Leadership class.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.