Firefighter Salary: How Much Do Firefighters Make?
Median pay, percentiles and employment for firefighters — nationally, in all 50 states, and by metro.
Short answer: the median firefighter salary in the United States is $59,280 a year ($28.50 an hour). The middle of the market runs $44,490 to $77,250, and the 10th to 90th percentile spans $34,910 to $101,040. Location matters more than most people expect: the median is $100,960 in New York and $33,120 in Louisiana — a $67,840 gap for the same job. About 345,990 people work as firefighters nationally.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Public-domain federal data, surveyed from employers.
Firefighter salary by state
Annual wages for Firefighters (BLS occupation code 33-2011). Percentiles show the spread within each state.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $29,770 | $47,600 | $76,190 | 7,260 |
| Alaska | $35,520 | $58,830 | $82,360 | 1,040 |
| Arizona | $36,700 | $59,280 | $88,220 | 7,500 |
| Arkansas | $28,680 | $39,690 | $60,860 | 2,480 |
| California | $52,390 | $85,120 | $136,150 | 31,470 |
| Colorado | $47,000 | $74,170 | $114,170 | 6,510 |
| Connecticut | $51,320 | $77,630 | $85,500 | 2,970 |
| Delaware | $41,960 | $46,710 | $72,160 | 560 |
| District of Columbia | $61,050 | $75,870 | $99,760 | 1,480 |
| Florida | $37,260 | $58,550 | $93,310 | 24,570 |
| Georgia | $33,000 | $46,550 | $61,510 | 12,700 |
| Idaho | $30,280 | $47,320 | $81,190 | 2,240 |
| Illinois | $38,900 | $78,380 | $106,060 | 18,400 |
| Indiana | $38,460 | $62,780 | $81,890 | 8,530 |
| Iowa | $32,240 | $55,810 | $87,720 | 2,170 |
| Kansas | $32,810 | $45,900 | $76,110 | 3,360 |
| Kentucky | $27,870 | $37,150 | $60,720 | 5,150 |
| Louisiana | $22,510 | $33,120 | $56,670 | 5,230 |
| Maine | $35,740 | $48,290 | $63,740 | 2,480 |
| Maryland | $48,030 | $73,810 | $98,770 | 5,340 |
| Massachusetts | $49,730 | $72,800 | $98,130 | 11,940 |
| Michigan | $37,190 | $54,640 | $78,550 | 6,610 |
| Minnesota | $27,510 | $38,110 | $70,380 | 5,810 |
| Mississippi | $26,850 | $35,880 | $51,310 | 2,920 |
| Missouri | $31,140 | $49,080 | $79,360 | 6,580 |
| Montana | $32,810 | $59,310 | $76,620 | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $46,660 | $61,040 | $69,460 | 1,070 |
| Nevada | $47,600 | $66,570 | $101,450 | 2,640 |
| New Hampshire | $35,450 | $56,620 | $78,570 | 2,700 |
| New Jersey | $47,920 | $84,130 | $123,940 | 7,500 |
| New Mexico | $31,200 | $41,590 | $57,780 | 2,420 |
| New York | $56,390 | $100,960 | $106,440 | 12,950 |
| North Carolina | $29,360 | $37,940 | $61,940 | 19,410 |
| North Dakota | $39,700 | $55,080 | $77,530 | 820 |
| Ohio | $34,420 | $59,370 | $84,010 | 18,100 |
| Oklahoma | $31,620 | $49,710 | $77,560 | 4,150 |
| Oregon | $38,800 | $70,900 | $104,070 | 3,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,620 | $73,460 | $89,190 | 5,020 |
| Rhode Island | $56,110 | $67,380 | $76,620 | 1,620 |
| South Carolina | $29,130 | $42,570 | $62,150 | 7,780 |
| South Dakota | $39,240 | $48,160 | $61,420 | 610 |
| Tennessee | $33,910 | $49,300 | $70,460 | 7,020 |
| Texas | $40,020 | $60,180 | $77,170 | 28,170 |
| Utah | $27,660 | $48,310 | $80,320 | 2,870 |
| Vermont | $29,790 | $46,430 | $77,200 | — |
| Virginia | $38,310 | $58,670 | $77,310 | 11,160 |
| Washington | $47,640 | $94,520 | $123,980 | 7,560 |
| West Virginia | $29,020 | $37,350 | $51,390 | 900 |
| Wisconsin | $29,390 | $46,850 | $77,050 | 8,120 |
| Wyoming | $39,550 | $58,090 | $78,760 | 680 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. “Not released” means BLS suppressed the estimate, usually because the state sample was too small — this page shows that rather than guessing.
Highest-paying metro areas for firefighters
| Metro area | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $152,100 | $181,270 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $113,700 | $139,590 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $106,420 | $115,380 |
| Bellingham, WA | $101,130 | $117,990 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $101,090 | $124,000 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $99,930 | $108,250 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,050 | $150,760 |
| Vallejo, CA | $95,950 | $134,370 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $95,910 | $117,010 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,080 | $151,020 |
Top 10 of the 393 metro areas BLS publishes. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average firefighter salary?
The median firefighter salary in the United States is $59,280 a year as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of firefighters earn more than that and half earn less. The 10th percentile is $34,910 and the 90th percentile is $101,040.
Which state pays firefighters the most?
New York, with a median of $100,960. The lowest of the states BLS publishes is Louisiana at $33,120, a gap of $67,840. Higher-paying states also tend to have higher housing costs, so compare take-home pay and rent rather than the headline figure alone.
How much do firefighters make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $28.50 as of May 2025.
Is this data self-reported?
No. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which collects wage data from employers rather than from workers submitting their own salaries. It is public-domain federal data.