The average salary for a firefighter in the United States is around $28,830 per year.
Avg Salary
Firefighters earn an average yearly salary of $28,830.
Wages typically start from $15,949 and go up to $52,113.
52% below national average Updated in 2023
Firefighter earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level firefighter earnings begin at:
$25.05 per hour
$52,113 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level firefighter earnings begin at:
$18.93 per hour
$39,369 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level firefighter earnings begin at:
$13.86 per hour
$28,830 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level firefighter earnings begin at:
$10.15 per hour
$21,112 per year
10th percentile
Starting level firefighter earnings begin at:
$7.67 per hour
$15,949 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Firefighter salary by state
State Name | Average Salary |
---|---|
New Jersey | $79,910 |
Washington | $78,620 |
New York | $78,520 |
California | $77,640 |
Connecticut | $75,060 |
Oregon | $65,120 |
Colorado | $63,830 |
Nebraska | $63,290 |
Rhode Island | $63,080 |
Hawaii | $61,130 |
Massachusetts | $61,130 |
Pennsylvania | $61,130 |
Alaska | $60,320 |
Illinois | $59,860 |
Maryland | $59,860 |
Nevada | $59,280 |
Texas | $52,420 |
Montana | $51,220 |
Indiana | $50,700 |
Florida | $50,690 |
Ohio | $50,690 |
New Hampshire | $50,280 |
North Dakota | $50,130 |
Iowa | $48,800 |
Virginia | $48,000 |
Arizona | $47,520 |
Oklahoma | $47,520 |
Vermont | $47,520 |
Guam | $47,440 |
South Dakota | $47,020 |
Michigan | $46,930 |
Missouri | $46,590 |
Wyoming | $46,590 |
Maine | $46,210 |
Alabama | $40,330 |
Wisconsin | $40,130 |
Delaware | $40,090 |
Idaho | $39,800 |
Utah | $39,540 |
Kansas | $39,490 |
Georgia | $39,210 |
Tennessee | $39,210 |
South Carolina | $37,750 |
Arkansas | $36,750 |
New Mexico | $36,750 |
West Virginia | $36,450 |
North Carolina | $34,470 |
Minnesota | $32,240 |
Mississippi | $31,530 |
Kentucky | $30,940 |
Louisiana | $29,500 |
Puerto Rico | $27,890 |
How do firefighter salaries compare to similar careers?
Firefighters earn 6% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than correctional officers but more than family social workers.
Career | Median Salary |
---|---|
Correctional officer salary | $39K |
Highway maintenance worker salary | $39K |
Clergy member salary | $36K |
Funeral director salary | $31K |
Travel agent salary | $31K |
Firefighter salary | $29K |
Real estate agent salary | $29K |
Administrative assistant salary | $29K |
Postal service clerk salary | $29K |
Family social worker salary | $28K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)