Average Firefighters Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Firefighters is $59,530 per year. The middle 50% earn between $44,180 and $77,410, with 332,240 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 50 states and 355 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Firefighters pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $34,490
- 25th
- $44,180
- Median
- $59,530
- 75th
- $77,410
- 90th
- $101,330
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Firefighters earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two firefighters at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for firefighters from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.4%
- 11,800 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 27,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Firefighters earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where firefighters work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $93,490, about 57.0% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $164,940.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $93,490 | 8,000 |
| New York | $88,380 | 14,730 |
| New Jersey | $87,660 | 6,590 |
| California | $83,400 | 27,580 |
| District of Columbia | $79,430 | 1,430 |
| Illinois | $79,080 | 14,510 |
| Connecticut | $77,660 | 2,860 |
| Colorado | $76,560 | 6,170 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $164,940 | 1,180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $121,270 | 3,410 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $108,320 | 2,140 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $105,250 | 15,770 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,460 | 330 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $102,220 | 4,150 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $100,040 | 420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $99,210 | 7,200 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see firefighters pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Firefighters rose from $50,850 to $59,530, a gain of +17.1% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $50,850 would need to be worth $62,393 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $59,530 is −$2,863 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -4.6% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 17.1% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +17.1%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -4.6%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Firefighters median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $50,850
- 2020
- $52,500
- 2021
- $50,700
- 2022
- $51,680
- 2023
- $57,120
- 2024
- $59,530
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Bailiffs
- $57,050
- Fish And Game Wardens
- $68,180
Common salary questions for Firefighters
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Firefighters workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.