Firefighter salary in the U.S.
Firefighters in the U.S. earn a median of $59,280 a year ($28.50 an hour), based on BLS data for 345,990 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,910 for the lowest-paid 10% to $101,040 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $63,630, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for firefighters in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,910 | $16.79 |
| 25th percentile | $44,490 | $21.39 |
| Median | $59,280 | $28.50 |
| 75th percentile | $77,250 | $37.14 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $101,040 | $48.58 |
| Average (mean) | $63,630 | $30.59 |
Half of firefighters earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,940 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,470 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,280 |
| Weekly | $1,140 |
| Hourly | $28.50 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Firefighter salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| District of Columbia | $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 | n/a |
| 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 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,120 | 1,780 |
| Mississippi | $35,880 | 2,920 |
| Louisiana | $33,120 | 5,230 |
Best-paying metro areas for firefighters
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $152,100 | 1,330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $113,700 | 3,450 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $106,420 | 14,960 |
| Bellingham, WA | $101,130 | 320 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $101,090 | 3,760 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $99,930 | 300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,050 | 7,200 |
| Vallejo, CA | $95,950 | 330 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $95,910 | 290 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,080 | 2,590 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $90,050 | 260 |
| Rochester, NY | $89,120 | 730 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $88,090 | 340 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $87,980 | 3,010 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $87,400 | 310 |
Metro areas with the most firefighters
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 14,960 | $106,420 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 14,560 | $82,820 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 8,780 | $64,900 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 8,510 | $73,990 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 7,610 | $66,980 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,200 | $98,050 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 6,600 | $75,710 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 6,350 | $47,300 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 5,780 | $59,120 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 4,700 | $38,700 |
| Columbus, OH | 4,130 | $61,780 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 4,020 | $61,780 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 3,980 | $39,350 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,970 | $78,050 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,760 | $101,090 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $75,920 | $36.50 |
| Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists | $56,870 | $27.34 |
| Security Guard | $38,020 | $18.28 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $76,210 | $36.64 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $58,940 | $28.34 |
| Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | $33,580 | $16.14 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $106,040 | $50.98 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $93,790 | $45.09 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $93,530 | $44.96 |
| Crossing Guards and Flaggers | $38,100 | $18.32 |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | $42,540 | $20.45 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | $55,940 | $26.90 |
| School Bus Monitor | $35,100 | $16.88 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $77,970 | $37.49 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 33-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a firefighter make in the U.S.?
The median salary for firefighters in the U.S. is $59,280 a year, or $28.50 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,910 for the lowest-paid 10% to $101,040 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid firefighters make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of firefighters in the U.S. earn at least $101,040 a year. The top 25% earn $77,250 or more.
What is the starting pay for firefighters in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,910 a year, and a quarter of firefighters earn $44,490 or less.
How many firefighters work in the U.S.?
About 345,990 firefighters are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.