Firefighters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for firefighters is $59,280, or $28.50 per hour. About 345,990 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $100,960 in New York to $33,120 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $100,960 | $48.54 | 12,950 | 0.60 |
| 2 | Washington | $94,520 | $45.44 | 7,560 | 0.96 |
| 3 | California | $85,120 | $40.92 | 31,470 | 0.78 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $84,130 | $40.45 | 7,500 | 0.79 |
| 5 | Illinois | $78,380 | $37.68 | 18,400 | 1.36 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $77,630 | $37.32 | 2,970 | 0.79 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $75,870 | $36.48 | 1,480 | 0.95 |
| 8 | Colorado | $74,170 | $35.66 | 6,510 | 1.02 |
| 9 | Maryland | $73,810 | $35.49 | 5,340 | 0.87 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $73,460 | $35.32 | 5,020 | 0.37 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $72,800 | $35.00 | 11,940 | 1.48 |
| 12 | Oregon | $70,900 | $34.09 | 3,790 | 0.87 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $67,380 | $32.39 | 1,620 | 1.46 |
| 14 | Nevada | $66,570 | $32.01 | 2,640 | 0.77 |
| 15 | Indiana | $62,780 | $30.18 | 8,530 | 1.20 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $61,040 | $29.35 | 1,070 | 0.47 |
| 17 | Texas | $60,180 | $28.94 | 28,170 | 0.90 |
| 18 | Ohio | $59,370 | $28.54 | 18,100 | 1.47 |
| 19 | Montana | $59,310 | $28.52 | 1,010 | 0.89 |
| 20 | Arizona | $59,280 | $28.50 | 7,500 | 1.04 |
| 21 | Alaska | $58,830 | $28.28 | 1,040 | 1.43 |
| 22 | Virginia | $58,670 | $28.21 | 11,160 | 1.22 |
| 23 | Florida | $58,550 | $28.15 | 24,570 | 1.11 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $58,090 | $27.93 | 680 | 1.09 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $56,620 | $27.22 | 2,700 | 1.77 |
| 26 | Iowa | $55,810 | $26.83 | 2,170 | 0.63 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $55,080 | $26.48 | 820 | 0.86 |
| 28 | Michigan | $54,640 | $26.27 | 6,610 | 0.67 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $49,710 | $23.90 | 4,150 | 1.09 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $49,300 | $23.70 | 7,020 | 0.96 |
| 31 | Missouri | $49,080 | $23.60 | 6,580 | 1.01 |
| 32 | Utah | $48,310 | $23.23 | 2,870 | 0.74 |
| 33 | Maine | $48,290 | $23.22 | 2,480 | 1.74 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $48,160 | $23.15 | 610 | 0.60 |
| 35 | Alabama | $47,600 | $22.89 | 7,260 | 1.54 |
| 36 | Idaho | $47,320 | $22.75 | 2,240 | 1.17 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $46,850 | $22.53 | 8,120 | 1.24 |
| 38 | Delaware | $46,710 | $22.46 | 560 | 0.52 |
| 39 | Georgia | $46,550 | $22.38 | 12,700 | 1.17 |
| 40 | Vermont | $46,430 | $22.32 | — | — |
| 41 | Kansas | $45,900 | $22.07 | 3,360 | 1.05 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $42,570 | $20.47 | 7,780 | 1.52 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $41,590 | $19.99 | 2,420 | 1.25 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $39,690 | $19.08 | 2,480 | 0.86 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $38,110 | $18.32 | 5,810 | 0.89 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $37,940 | $18.24 | 19,410 | 1.77 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $37,350 | $17.96 | 900 | 0.58 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $37,150 | $17.86 | 5,150 | 1.16 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $35,880 | $17.25 | 2,920 | 1.13 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $33,120 | $15.92 | 5,230 | 1.22 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do firefighters make?
The median annual wage for firefighters in the United States is $59,280, or $28.50 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $34,910, and the top 10% earn $101,040.
How many firefighters are employed in the U.S.?
About 345,990 people work as firefighters nationwide.
Which state pays firefighters the most?
New York pays the most at a median of $100,960, followed by Washington ($94,520) and California ($85,120).
Which state pays firefighters the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $33,120.
Where are firefighters jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New Hampshire at 1.77×.