Firefighters salary
Public safety · OCC code 33-2011 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Firefighters in the US earn a median of $59,530 per year (mean $63,890) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +20.3% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, above the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $44,180 and $77,410; the top 10% earn $101,330 or more. The median hourly wage is $28.62. About 332,240 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Washington ($93,490). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Firefighters pay range (national percentiles)
What firefighters earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $34,490 |
| 25th percentile | $44,180 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $59,530 |
| Mean (average) | $63,890 |
| 75th percentile | $77,410 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $101,330 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Firefighters salary by state
Median and mean wage for firefighters in each of the 50 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $59,530.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $93,490 | $87,240 | 8,000 |
| 2 | New York | $88,380 | $86,680 | 14,730 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $87,660 | $87,710 | 6,590 |
| 4 | California | $83,400 | $98,200 | 27,580 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $79,430 | $80,320 | 1,430 |
| 6 | Illinois | $79,080 | $76,650 | 14,510 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $77,660 | $72,090 | 2,860 |
| 8 | Colorado | $76,560 | $78,560 | 6,170 |
| 9 | Oregon | $73,270 | $71,930 | 3,660 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $73,110 | $73,130 | 11,910 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $71,430 | $67,930 | — |
| 12 | Maryland | $70,580 | $72,070 | 5,250 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $69,480 | $68,840 | 1,590 |
| 14 | Nevada | $67,120 | $69,050 | 2,360 |
| 15 | Montana | $64,020 | $62,840 | 960 |
| 16 | Alaska | $63,220 | $59,730 | 1,040 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $61,760 | $58,960 | 1,060 |
| 18 | Indiana | $61,470 | $61,850 | 8,550 |
| 19 | Texas | $60,840 | $60,880 | 30,400 |
| 20 | Ohio | $59,470 | $59,170 | 18,750 |
| 21 | Arizona | $58,650 | $60,660 | 6,870 |
| 22 | Florida | $58,360 | $63,610 | 21,470 |
| 23 | Virginia | $58,300 | $58,510 | 10,820 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $57,030 | $55,800 | 2,880 |
| 25 | Michigan | $55,570 | $55,970 | 7,390 |
| 26 | Iowa | $55,190 | $57,440 | 2,050 |
| 27 | Idaho | $53,860 | $56,370 | 2,100 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $53,660 | $56,000 | 750 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $51,850 | $54,970 | 680 |
| 30 | Utah | $49,270 | $53,580 | 2,650 |
| 31 | Missouri | $48,470 | $53,180 | 6,740 |
| 32 | Delaware | $48,060 | $54,760 | 450 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $47,710 | $51,840 | 8,010 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $47,520 | $48,500 | 540 |
| 35 | Alabama | $47,490 | $49,640 | 6,930 |
| 36 | Maine | $47,490 | $49,210 | 2,390 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $47,300 | $49,810 | 6,510 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $47,270 | $50,090 | 4,110 |
| 39 | Vermont | $46,130 | $47,140 | 470 |
| 40 | Georgia | $45,970 | $47,340 | 11,660 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $45,960 | $45,730 | 7,570 |
| 42 | Kansas | $44,060 | $48,410 | 3,630 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $42,920 | $44,110 | 2,200 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $42,100 | $43,870 | 2,280 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $41,990 | $48,510 | 4,890 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $41,500 | $44,450 | 1,040 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $37,250 | $42,450 | 18,200 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $37,140 | $40,960 | 5,320 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $36,980 | $38,560 | 2,630 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $33,700 | $37,270 | 4,690 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Washington ($93,490). Lowest: Louisiana ($33,700).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighters (this job) | $59,530 | $63,890 | +20.3% |
| Carpenters | $59,310 | $64,040 | +19.8% |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $59,810 | $62,690 | +20.8% |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,190 | $65,100 | +19.6% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $60,370 | $81,510 | +22.0% |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $58,570 | $62,920 | +18.3% |
Carpenters · Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers · Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors · Insurance Sales Agents · Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Frequently asked questions
How much do firefighters make?
Firefighters earn a national median of $59,530 per year (mean $63,890) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $44,180 (25th percentile) and $77,410 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $101,330 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $34,490. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for firefighters?
The median hourly wage is $28.62 and the mean is $30.72 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays firefighters the most?
Washington has the highest median wage for firefighters at $93,490, versus a national median of $59,530. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many firefighters are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 332,240 firefighters are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #86 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 33-2011), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20