Firefighter Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Firefighters

The median firefighter salary in the United States is $59,280 per year ($28.50/hour). Salaries range from $34,910 at the entry level to $101,040+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 345,990 firefighter jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 3.4% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asFirefighterFireman
Median Salary
$59,280
per year
Hourly Rate
$28.50
per hour
Employment
345,990
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$34,910
25th percentile
$44,490
Median
$59,280
75th percentile
$77,250
90th percentile
$101,040

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+3.4%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

27,100
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Postsecondary nondegree award

Training Needed

Long-term on-the-job training

Firefighter Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for firefighters.

Firefighters respond to fires + emergencies + medical calls + rescue + hazmat. Entry probationary $42-58k; certified firefighter/EMT $58-82k; senior + specialty (paramedic + arson + rescue) $78-115k; officer (Captain + Battalion Chief) $105-165k+; Chief officers $135-215k+. Pension + PSLF + shift work (24/48 or 24/72). Extremely competitive: 500-2,000 applicants per position. Fitness + academy + probation gauntlet.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Fire suppression + tactics
Structural + wildland + attack + defensive + ventilation + salvage + rescue + hose management.
EMS + medical response
EMT-B minimum + Paramedic for premium. ALS + BLS + trauma + medical emergencies + patient care.
Rescue + specialty ops
Auto extrication + rope + confined space + water + hazmat + tech rescue + specialty teams.
Fire prevention + investigation
Code inspection + fire cause + arson investigation + community education + prevention programs.
Physical fitness + endurance
Cardiovascular + strength + heat tolerance + PPE weight + long shifts + repeated demanding calls.
Incident Command System (ICS)
Command structure + communication + accountability + coordination + mutual aid + specific certifications.
Team + brother/sisterhood
Close-quarters shift life + culture + trust + teamwork + supporting each other through trauma.

How to Become a Firefighter

  1. 1
    Get high school + physical fitness
    Physical Ability Test (PAT + CPAT) preparation. Some departments require 2-year degree.
  2. 2
    Get EMT-B or Paramedic (paramedic prioritized)
    EMT-B: 3-6 months + $500-2k. Paramedic: 12-18 months + $10-15k. Many depts require paramedic for hiring.
  3. 3
    Apply + pass department testing
    Written exam + PAT + oral board + background + psychological + medical + drug test. Highly competitive.
  4. 4
    Complete academy + probation
    3-6 month academy + 12-18 months probation. High washout rate. Fitness + technical + academic.
  5. 5
    Progress through ranks
    Firefighter β†’ Engineer β†’ Lieutenant β†’ Captain β†’ Battalion Chief β†’ Assistant/Deputy Chief β†’ Chief. Testing-based promotions.

Career Progression

Recruit / Probationary Firefighter
0-2 yrs$42-62k
  • β€’Academy + probation
  • β€’Learn fire + medical response
  • β€’Physical + skill development
  • β€’Complete required certifications
Next: Firefighter I/II after probation.
Firefighter / Firefighter Paramedic
1-8 yrs$58-92k + OT + shift diff
  • β€’Full crew member
  • β€’Emergency response + patient care
  • β€’Building inspections + prevention
  • β€’Specialty team pursuit
Next: Engineer/Driver-Operator at 3-6 years.
Engineer / Driver-Operator / Lieutenant
6-15 yrs$78-115k + OT
  • β€’Driver + pump operations
  • β€’Company officer duties
  • β€’Mentor + train recruits
  • β€’Complex incident command
Next: Captain at 10-15 years.
Captain / Battalion Chief / Fire Chief
15+ yrs$115-215k+ + benefits + pension
  • β€’Company/station command
  • β€’Incident command at large scenes
  • β€’Administrative + budget
  • β€’Community + government relations
Next: Deputy/Assistant Chief + Chief + retirement at 20-30 years.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through initial response to a structure fire.technical
Size-up + IC + establish water + defensive vs offensive + rescue priority + specific tactics + coordinate with mutual aid.
Q2. How do you handle a mass casualty EMS call?situational
Scene safety + triage + prioritize + coordinate transport + document + follow protocols + stay with role.
Q3. Describe your commitment to fitness.behavioral
Daily workouts + cardio + strength + specific to job demands + prevent injury + long career.
Q4. Tell me about a difficult call.behavioral
STAR: incident + response + teamwork + outcome + coping.
Q5. Where do you see career in 5 years?closer
Firefighter β†’ Engineer β†’ Lieutenant. Specialty (paramedic + rescue + arson) + promotion path.

Resume Template β€” Probationary Firefighter (0-2 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Probationary Firefighter (0-2 yrs)
  • β–ΈPassed CPAT + department entrance exam scoring in top 5% of 850+ applicants.
  • β–ΈCompleted 18-week fire academy + 12-month probation with zero performance issues.
  • β–ΈEarned EMT-B + Paramedic certifications + 12 specialty rescue certifications.
  • β–ΈResponded to 2,200+ incidents during probation including 45 structure fires + 4 major MVAs.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Physical fitness deficiency.
  • βœ—Cant handle traumatic calls.
  • βœ—Weak teamwork or culture fit.
  • βœ—Poor performance in academy.
  • βœ—Background/psychological issues.
  • βœ—Cant handle shift work.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Paramedic-certified = $8-25k premium over EMT-B.
  • βœ“Union scale + step increases + college incentive.
  • βœ“Specialty team stipends (hazmat + rescue + arson) $3-10k.
  • βœ“Overtime is major income (many firefighters earn 20-50% of base in OT).
  • βœ“Pension typically 50-90% of final salary after 25-30 years.
  • βœ“Metro fire departments pay 25-50% premium.
  • βœ“Sign-on bonuses $5-20k common in shortage areas.

Firefighter Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired firefighters. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Firefighter Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 13 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 6 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 6 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

Sample reviews β€” real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.

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β€œCopy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.”

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β€œThe 30-60-90 day plan for a new grad RN was better than the orientation my hospital gave. Wish I'd bought this in nursing school.”

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Firefighter Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$33K
$101Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

New York
$101K
+70%
Washington
$95K
+59%
California
$85K
+44%
New Jersey
$84K
+42%
Illinois
$78K
+32%
Connecticut
$78K
+31%
District of Columbia
$76K
+28%
Colorado
$74K
+25%
Maryland
$74K
+25%
Pennsylvania
$73K
+24%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
New York$100,960+70.3%
Washington$94,520+59.4%
California$85,120+43.6%
New Jersey$84,130+41.9%
Illinois$78,380+32.2%
Connecticut$77,630+31.0%
District of Columbia$75,870+28.0%
Colorado$74,170+25.1%
Maryland$73,810+24.5%
Pennsylvania$73,460+23.9%
1–10 of 50

Firefighter Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$152,100+156.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$113,700+91.8%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$106,420+79.5%
Bellingham, WA$101,130+70.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$101,090+70.5%
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$99,930+68.6%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$98,050+65.4%
Vallejo, CA$95,950+61.9%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$95,910+61.8%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$94,080+58.7%
1–10 of 348
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A firefighter earning $59,280/year would need 1006 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1080 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how firefighter salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Firefighter salary trend (2011–2024) β†’