The average salary for a firefighter in the United States is $60,390, but the range typically falls between $40,230 and $75,320. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $29.03, with a range between $19.34 and $36.21.
There are approximately 315,460 people employed as a firefighter in the United States. With Texas, California, Florida employing the highest number of firefighters.The state with the best pay for a firefighter is Washington, with an average annual salary of $83,630, while Louisiana has the lowest average annual salary of $35,150.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $31,600 | $15.19 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,230 | $19.34 |
| Median | $57,120 | $27.46 |
| 75th Percentile | $75,320 | $36.21 |
| 90th Percentile | $93,720 | $45.06 |
The salary of a firefighter can vary depending on the state. Below is a map of the United States showing the average annual salary for a firefighter in each state. The darker the color, the higher the salary. The best states for firefighters are Washington, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, California while the worst states are Louisiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Mississippi, Minnesota.
| State | Low-end | Average | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $27,470 | $45,650 | $67,020 |
| Alaska | $31,040 | $57,910 | $84,840 |
| Arizona | $37,050 | $53,390 | $68,590 |
| Arkansas | $25,110 | $42,150 | $68,070 |
| California | $50,330 | $87,890 | $137,640 |
| Colorado | $48,000 | $74,940 | $103,130 |
| Connecticut | $47,000 | $72,470 | $89,620 |
| Delaware | $37,540 | $49,490 | $68,240 |
| Florida | $33,880 | $60,720 | $87,100 |
| Georgia | $30,350 | $44,180 | $59,160 |
| Idaho | $30,840 | $50,720 | $77,470 |
| Illinois | $32,140 | $75,610 | $103,220 |
| Indiana | $30,410 | $57,070 | $83,960 |
| Iowa | $34,070 | $53,590 | $80,670 |
| Kansas | $31,520 | $45,680 | $63,990 |
| Kentucky | $24,960 | $38,290 | $57,320 |
| Louisiana | $23,330 | $35,150 | $50,530 |
| Maine | $29,930 | $46,870 | $64,500 |
| Maryland | $41,990 | $64,570 | $83,150 |
| Massachusetts | $50,610 | $72,330 | $97,660 |
| Michigan | $35,880 | $52,820 | $74,690 |
| Minnesota | $27,370 | $47,440 | $70,520 |
| Mississippi | $23,920 | $36,810 | $50,940 |
| Missouri | $29,130 | $49,380 | $71,270 |
| Montana | $35,950 | $57,980 | $77,420 |
| Nebraska | $46,300 | $69,020 | $89,970 |
| Nevada | $48,620 | $65,760 | $88,590 |
| New Hampshire | $31,200 | $53,210 | $78,990 |
| New Jersey | $46,980 | $84,850 | $124,210 |
| New Mexico | $31,200 | $43,660 | $62,080 |
| New York | $57,790 | $80,950 | $101,410 |
| North Carolina | $28,340 | $39,940 | $58,640 |
| North Dakota | $34,070 | $53,620 | $74,260 |
| Ohio | $30,770 | $56,610 | $85,240 |
| Oklahoma | $29,820 | $58,780 | $91,550 |
| Oregon | $36,090 | $69,250 | $101,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,590 | $67,200 | $84,820 |
| Rhode Island | $47,920 | $65,840 | $85,860 |
| South Carolina | $27,580 | $44,550 | $60,720 |
| South Dakota | $39,250 | $53,480 | $80,030 |
| Tennessee | $30,230 | $45,080 | $62,390 |
| Texas | $38,390 | $59,120 | $77,250 |
| Utah | $31,530 | $48,770 | $75,890 |
| Vermont | $29,580 | $46,780 | $65,280 |
| Virginia | $38,030 | $57,280 | $81,020 |
| Washington | $41,910 | $83,630 | $110,970 |
| West Virginia | $28,670 | $42,200 | $58,570 |
| Wisconsin | $29,380 | $50,310 | $83,710 |
| Wyoming | $37,480 | $51,490 | $65,740 |
Even between cities, the salary of a firefighter can vary. For example, the areas with the highest average salary for firefighters is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, CA with an average salary of $121,960.The city with the lowest average salary for firefighters is Monroe, LA with an average salary of $26,250.
Areas with highest average salaries for firefighters
Areas with lowest average salaries for firefighters
The number of firefighters in the United States has been increasing over the years. Since 2020, the number of firefighters has increased by 4,110. On average, the number of firefighters has been increasing by 0.3% each year. The salary of firefighters has been increasing. Since 2020, the salary of firefighters has increased by $4,030. On average, the salary of firefighters has been increasing by 1.8% each year.
Firefighters are part of the protective service occupations group. Below is a comparison of the average annual salary for firefighters compared to other jobs in the same occupation group. View all protective service occupations jobs here.
$95,930 per year
$76,550 per year
$33,970 per year
$58,810 per year
$58,460 per year
$50,430 per year
