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 about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than correctional officers but more than postal service 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 |
| Administrative assistant salary | $29K |
| Postal service clerk salary | $29K |
| Family social worker salary | $28K |
| Postal service worker salary | $27K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)