Average Salary for Firefighters
SOC 33-2011 · Protective Service Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Firefighters in the United States is $59,530 ($28.62/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $34,490 at the 10th percentile to $101,330 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 332,240 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 29.5% since 2014.
Median Annual
$59,530
Mean Annual
$63,890
10th Pct
$34,490
75th Pct
$77,410
Employment
332,240
Salary Distribution
$34k
10th
$44k
25th
$60k
Median
$77k
75th
$101k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $164,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $121,270 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $108,320 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $105,250 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,460 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $102,220 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $100,040 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $99,210 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $97,460 |
| Bellingham, WA | $93,170 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $90,180 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $88,970 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $88,860 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $88,440 |
| Rochester, NY | $88,380 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Washington | $93,490 |
| New York | $88,380 |
| New Jersey | $87,660 |
| California | $83,400 |
| District of Columbia | $79,430 |
| Illinois | $79,080 |
| Connecticut | $77,660 |
| Colorado | $76,560 |
| Oregon | $73,270 |
| Massachusetts | $73,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,430 |
| Maryland | $70,580 |
| Rhode Island | $69,480 |
| Nevada | $67,120 |
| Montana | $64,020 |
| Alaska | $63,220 |
| Nebraska | $61,760 |
| Indiana | $61,470 |
| Texas | $60,840 |
| Ohio | $59,470 |
| Arizona | $58,650 |
| Florida | $58,360 |
| Virginia | $58,300 |
| New Hampshire | $57,030 |
| Michigan | $55,570 |
| Iowa | $55,190 |
| Idaho | $53,860 |
| North Dakota | $53,660 |
| Wyoming | $51,850 |
| Utah | $49,270 |
| Missouri | $48,470 |
| Delaware | $48,060 |
| Wisconsin | $47,710 |
| South Dakota | $47,520 |
| Alabama | $47,490 |
| Maine | $47,490 |
| Tennessee | $47,300 |
| Oklahoma | $47,270 |
| Vermont | $46,130 |
| Georgia | $45,970 |
| South Carolina | $45,960 |
| Kansas | $44,060 |
| New Mexico | $42,920 |
| Arkansas | $42,100 |
| Minnesota | $41,990 |
| West Virginia | $41,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $39,520 |
| North Carolina | $37,250 |
| Kentucky | $37,140 |
| Mississippi | $36,980 |
| Louisiana | $33,700 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Firefighters broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $116,000 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $116,000 |
| Utilities | $105,790 |
| Utilities | $105,790 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $105,790 |
| Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $105,790 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $81,460 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $81,460 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $74,930 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $74,930 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | $74,930 |
| Manufacturing | $68,120 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $68,120 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $64,830 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $63,130 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $63,130 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $62,690 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $62,690 |
| Hospitals | $62,470 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $61,850 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $61,850 |
| Facilities Support Services | $60,690 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $60,460 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $60,460 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $60,460 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,360 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,360 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $59,120 |
| Ship and Boat Building | $56,780 |
| Educational Services | $54,430 |
| Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services | $52,950 |
| Investigation and Security Services | $52,950 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $52,240 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $52,190 |
| Educational Services | $51,870 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $51,870 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $51,850 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $51,850 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $45,660 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $43,400 |
| Spectator Sports | $43,400 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $43,130 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $42,430 |
| Ambulance Services | $42,430 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $42,430 |
| Social Assistance | $39,930 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $39,930 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $38,260 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $37,310 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $37,230 |
| Other Support Services | $36,650 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $59,530 |
| 2023 | $57,120 |
| 2022 | $51,680 |
| 2021 | $50,700 |
| 2020 | $52,500 |
| 2019 | $50,850 |
| 2018 | $49,620 |
| 2017 | $49,080 |
| 2016 | $48,030 |
| 2015 | $46,870 |
| 2014 | $45,970 |