Firefighters Salary
Protective Service Occupations · 346K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$59,280
Median hourly
$29
Average annual
$63,630
Typical range
$34,910–$101,040
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Firefighters is $59,280 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $29 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $34,910 and $101,040 a year. There are roughly 346K people employed as firefighters in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Firefighters.
- Hourly
- $28.50
- Daily
- $228
- Weekly
- $1,140
- Bi-weekly
- $2,280
- Monthly
- $4,940
- Annual
- $59,280
$59,280 a year is around the 50th percentile for Firefighterss. The median is $59,280.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New York$100,960
- 2Washington$94,520
- 3California$85,120
- 4New Jersey$84,130
- 5Illinois$78,380
- 6Connecticut$77,630
- 7District of Columbia$75,870
- 8Colorado$74,170
- 9Maryland$73,810
- 10Pennsylvania$73,460
- 11Massachusetts$72,800
- 12Oregon$70,900
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$152,100
- 2San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$113,700
- 3New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$106,420
- 4Bellingham, WA$101,130
- 5Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$101,090
- 6Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$99,930
- 7Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$98,050
- 8Vallejo, CA$95,950
- 9Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$95,910
- 10Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$94,080
- 11Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$90,050
- 12Rochester, NY$89,120
Related job titles
Employers advertise Firefighters roles under these titles.
- Airport Firefighter
- Apparatus Operator
- Crash Fire Firefighter
- Fire Alarm Operator
- Fire Apparatus Engineer
- Fire Chief's Aide
- Fire Engine Pump Operator
- Fire Engineer
- Fire Equipment Operator
- Fire Fighter
- Fire Hydrant Operator
- Fire Management Specialist
- Fire Medic
- Fire Suppression Technician
- Fire Technician (Fire Tech)
- Fireboat Operator
Related occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$93,530
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists$56,870
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators$75,920
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$115,160
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$33,580
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$49,450
- Emergency Medical Technicians$44,470
What a Firefighters does
- Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.
- Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
- Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls.
- Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques.
- Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Firefighters make?
- The median annual wage for Firefighters is $59,280 ($29 per hour). Pay ranges from about $34,910 at the 10th percentile to $101,040 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Firefighters?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $63,630, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Firefighterss the most?
- New York has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $100,960.
- Is Firefighters a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 346K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Firefighters do?
- Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.; Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.; Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls..