SOC 33-2011 · May 2025
Firefighter Salary
Firefighters in the US earn a median of $59,280 a year ($30.59 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Firefighter pay climbed from $54,650 in 2019 to $63,630 in 2025, a +16.4% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$59,280
Half of all Firefighters in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+16.4% since 2019 · -0.4% YoY
Hourly
$30.59
Job growth 2025-35
+3.7%
US workers
345,990
BLS series
Annual median wage for Firefighters in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Firefighters is $34,910 – $101,040.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$34,910
25th
$44,490
Median
$59,280
75th
$77,250
90th
$101,040
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Firefighters. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $34,910 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $44,490 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $59,280 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $77,250 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $101,040 |
Geography
Firefighter pay by state
Firefighters earn the most in New York ($100,960, +70% against the national median) and the least in Louisiana ($33,120). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 50 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$59,280
Highest-paying states for firefighters
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $100,960 | +70% | 12,950 |
| Washington | $94,520 | +59% | 7,560 |
| California | $85,120 | +44% | 31,470 |
| New Jersey | $84,130 | +42% | 7,500 |
| Illinois | $78,380 | +32% | 18,400 |
| Connecticut | $77,630 | +31% | 2,970 |
| D.C. | $75,870 | +28% | 1,480 |
| Colorado | $74,170 | +25% | 6,510 |
| Maryland | $73,810 | +25% | 5,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,460 | +24% | 5,020 |
All 50 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $100,960 | 12,950 |
| Washington | $94,520 | 7,560 |
| California | $85,120 | 31,470 |
| New Jersey | $84,130 | 7,500 |
| Illinois | $78,380 | 18,400 |
| Connecticut | $77,630 | 2,970 |
| D.C. | $75,870 | 1,480 |
| Colorado | $74,170 | 6,510 |
| Maryland | $73,810 | 5,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,460 | 5,020 |
| Massachusetts | $72,800 | 11,940 |
| Oregon | $70,900 | 3,790 |
| Rhode Island | $67,380 | 1,620 |
| Nevada | $66,570 | 2,640 |
| Indiana | $62,780 | 8,530 |
| Nebraska | $61,040 | 1,070 |
| Texas | $60,180 | 28,170 |
| Ohio | $59,370 | 18,100 |
| Montana | $59,310 | 1,010 |
| Arizona | $59,280 | 7,500 |
| Alaska | $58,830 | 1,040 |
| Virginia | $58,670 | 11,160 |
| Florida | $58,550 | 24,570 |
| Wyoming | $58,090 | 680 |
| New Hampshire | $56,620 | 2,700 |
| Iowa | $55,810 | 2,170 |
| North Dakota | $55,080 | 820 |
| Michigan | $54,640 | 6,610 |
| Oklahoma | $49,710 | 4,150 |
| Tennessee | $49,300 | 7,020 |
| Missouri | $49,080 | 6,580 |
| Utah | $48,310 | 2,870 |
| Maine | $48,290 | 2,480 |
| South Dakota | $48,160 | 610 |
| Alabama | $47,600 | 7,260 |
| Idaho | $47,320 | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $46,850 | 8,120 |
| Delaware | $46,710 | 560 |
| Georgia | $46,550 | 12,700 |
| Vermont | $46,430 | – |
| Kansas | $45,900 | 3,360 |
| South Carolina | $42,570 | 7,780 |
| New Mexico | $41,590 | 2,420 |
| Arkansas | $39,690 | 2,480 |
| Minnesota | $38,110 | 5,810 |
| North Carolina | $37,940 | 19,410 |
| West Virginia | $37,350 | 900 |
| Kentucky | $37,150 | 5,150 |
| Mississippi | $35,880 | 2,920 |
| Louisiana | $33,120 | 5,230 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Firefighters
Firefighters respond to fires, medical emergencies, hazardous material spills, and rescue calls. Most are also trained as EMTs or paramedics. Entry typically requires a high school diploma, fire academy training, and physical/written examinations.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $34,910 – $101,040. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are New York, Washington and California. Pay in New York runs 3.0 times the level in Louisiana, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as postsecondary nondegree award, and projects about 26,800 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 3.7% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Firefighter salary in the US?
How much does a Firefighter make an hour?
How much do Firefighters make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Firefighters the most?
Is the average Firefighter salary higher than the median?
Is Firefighter a growing career?
Open positions
Open Firefighter roles hiring now
Browse current Firefighter listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 33-2011. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.