SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 33-2011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $34,910 | $2,909 | $671 | $16.79 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $44,490 | $3,708 | $856 | $21.39 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $59,280 | $4,940 | $1,140 | $28.50 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $77,250 | $6,438 | $1,486 | $37.14 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $101,040 | $8,420 | $1,943 | $48.58 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Firefighters is $59,280, which is 16% higher. Among the 24 occupations of the field Protective Service, it ranks number 11 by median pay. With 345,990 jobs, it makes up about 22 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Firefighters pay by state
The highest median pay was in New York ($100,960), Washington ($94,520) and California ($85,120). The lowest was in Louisiana ($33,120), Mississippi ($35,880) and Puerto Rico ($37,120). The most jobs were in California (31,470), Texas (28,170) and Florida (24,570). The occupation is most concentrated in New Hampshire, where its share of all jobs is 1.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 12,950 | $100,960 | $87,150 | $48.54 |
| Washington | 7,560 | $94,520 | $89,200 | $45.44 |
| California | 31,470 | $85,120 | $95,090 | $40.92 |
| New Jersey | 7,500 | $84,130 | $85,810 | $40.45 |
| Illinois | 18,400 | $78,380 | $76,530 | $37.68 |
| Connecticut | 2,970 | $77,630 | $73,760 | $37.32 |
| District of Columbia | 1,480 | $75,870 | $79,550 | $36.48 |
| Colorado | 6,510 | $74,170 | $78,380 | $35.66 |
| Maryland | 5,340 | $73,810 | $72,550 | $35.49 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,020 | $73,460 | $71,340 | $35.32 |
| Massachusetts | 11,940 | $72,800 | $73,220 | $35.00 |
| Oregon | 3,790 | $70,900 | $71,290 | $34.09 |
| Rhode Island | 1,620 | $67,380 | $67,480 | $32.39 |
| Nevada | 2,640 | $66,570 | $70,510 | $32.01 |
| Indiana | 8,530 | $62,780 | $62,420 | $30.18 |
| Nebraska | 1,070 | $61,040 | $59,190 | $29.35 |
| Texas | 28,170 | $60,180 | $60,390 | $28.94 |
| Ohio | 18,100 | $59,370 | $58,130 | $28.54 |
| Montana | 1,010 | $59,310 | $57,660 | $28.52 |
| Arizona | 7,500 | $59,280 | $60,850 | $28.50 |
| Alaska | 1,040 | $58,830 | $59,190 | $28.28 |
| Virginia | 11,160 | $58,670 | $58,240 | $28.21 |
| Florida | 24,570 | $58,550 | $61,370 | $28.15 |
| Wyoming | 680 | $58,090 | $56,800 | $27.93 |
| New Hampshire | 2,700 | $56,620 | $55,730 | $27.22 |
| Iowa | 2,170 | $55,810 | $57,240 | $26.83 |
| North Dakota | 820 | $55,080 | $57,980 | $26.48 |
| Michigan | 6,610 | $54,640 | $56,250 | $26.27 |
| Oklahoma | 4,150 | $49,710 | $52,280 | $23.90 |
| Tennessee | 7,020 | $49,300 | $51,590 | $23.70 |
| Missouri | 6,580 | $49,080 | $55,240 | $23.60 |
| Utah | 2,870 | $48,310 | $51,270 | $23.23 |
| Maine | 2,480 | $48,290 | $50,230 | $23.22 |
| South Dakota | 610 | $48,160 | $51,180 | $23.15 |
| Alabama | 7,260 | $47,600 | $49,720 | $22.89 |
| Idaho | 2,240 | $47,320 | $54,470 | $22.75 |
| Wisconsin | 8,120 | $46,850 | $50,710 | $22.53 |
| Delaware | 560 | $46,710 | $53,420 | $22.46 |
| Georgia | 12,700 | $46,550 | $47,170 | $22.38 |
| Vermont | not published | $46,430 | $49,570 | $22.32 |
| Kansas | 3,360 | $45,900 | $49,110 | $22.07 |
| South Carolina | 7,780 | $42,570 | $43,900 | $20.47 |
| New Mexico | 2,420 | $41,590 | $43,180 | $19.99 |
| Arkansas | 2,480 | $39,690 | $43,380 | $19.08 |
| Minnesota | 5,810 | $38,110 | $45,170 | $18.32 |
| North Carolina | 19,410 | $37,940 | $43,060 | $18.24 |
| West Virginia | 900 | $37,350 | $40,100 | $17.96 |
| Kentucky | 5,150 | $37,150 | $42,100 | $17.86 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,780 | $37,120 | $38,280 | $17.85 |
| Mississippi | 2,920 | $35,880 | $37,230 | $17.25 |
| Louisiana | 5,230 | $33,120 | $36,610 | $15.92 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators$75,920 a year
- Fish and Game Wardens$74,060 a year
- Transportation Security Screeners$66,770 a year
- Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940 a year
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists$56,870 a year
- Bailiffs$56,600 a year
Common questions
How much do Firefighters earn in the United States?
The median pay was $59,280 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $34,910 and the highest-paid 10% more than $101,040.
How many people work as Firefighters?
About 345,990 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.