Also called: Hazmat Firefighter
Handles chemical spills, gas leaks, and dangerous substances at emergencies.
Hazmat techs wear full encapsulated suits, use gas meters to identify mystery chemicals, plug leaking tanker trucks, and decontaminate people. A train derailment with toxic cargo is their big call.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 3 years after high school. Firefighter experience plus Hazmat Technician certification.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training, Military. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Fire Science, Chemistry.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). BLS firefighters 2024-34.
Low risk for 10 years. Robots and smart gas meters help identify chemicals; plugging leaks in a suit stays human.
Classes: AP Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Health / first aid.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-2011.
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.