What are the main factors that influence a First Responder's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A First Responder's salary?

A First Responder's salary grows with experience: a Staff Nurse - RN I (0-2 years)earns $73,948, a First Responder (2-4 years)earns $83,814, a Staff Nurse - RN III (4-7 years)earns $97,442,

What are the highest paying states for a First Responder?

First Responder salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for First Responder roles are District of Columbia $91,428, California $91,081, Massachusetts $89,867. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of First Responder roles make?

Salaries for First Responder level roles vary by specialization: cyber incident responder: $94,616; Cyber Security Incident Responder: $92,384; Incident Responder: $90,603; Hazardous Materials Responder: $89,057; Crisis Responder: $66,268.

How do different companies affect a First Responder's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for First Responder roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

First Responder Salary in the United States

How much does a First Responder make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a First Responder in the United States is $82,576 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

However, a First Responder's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $95,764
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $76,632 to $89,479
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $71,220

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First Responder Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$89,479	$7,457	$1,721	$43
Average	$82,576	$6,881	$1,588	$40
25th Percentile	$76,632	$6,386	$1,474	$37

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Key Factors That Influence First Responder Salaries

A First Responder's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do First Responder Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract First Responders. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $91,428.
California: $91,081.
Massachusetts: $89,867.

District of Columbia $91,428 California $91,081 Massachusetts $89,867 Washington $89,537 New Jersey $89,504 Alaska $89,388 Connecticut $88,249 New York $87,786

Hawaii $86,308 Rhode Island $85,615 Maryland $85,144 Minnesota $84,500 Colorado $84,252 Illinois $84,170 Oregon $83,856 Delaware $83,625

New Hampshire $83,479 Virginia $83,154 Pennsylvania $82,204 Nevada $81,725 North Dakota $81,568 Michigan $81,321 Wisconsin $81,230 Vermont $81,048

Texas $80,544 Maine $80,511 Arizona $80,462 Ohio $80,404 Georgia $79,644 Indiana $79,265 Wyoming $79,190 Utah $79,075

Iowa $79,025 Kansas $78,629 Louisiana $78,513 North Carolina $78,472 Missouri $78,455 Florida $78,133 Montana $77,960 Nebraska $77,795

Kentucky $77,704 South Carolina $77,374 Tennessee $77,167 Idaho $77,085 New Mexico $76,482 Oklahoma $76,350 Alabama $75,862 South Dakota $75,045

Arkansas $74,599 West Virginia $74,360 Mississippi $73,641

Top Paying Cities for First Responders

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $104,153
San Francisco: $103,012
Oakland: $100,842

San Jose, CA $104,153

San Francisco, CA $103,012

Oakland, CA $100,842

New York, NY $95,077

Paramus, NJ $93,921

Queens Village, NY $93,917

Passaic, NJ $93,838

Bergenfield, NJ $93,831

Stamford, CT $93,649

Huntington, NY $93,615

Newark, NJ $93,005

Bridgeport, CT $92,831

Vallejo, CA $92,667

New Brunswick, NJ $92,634

Petaluma, CA $92,584

Middlesex, NJ $92,427

Somerset, NJ $92,369

Santa Cruz, CA $92,262

Boston, MA $91,758

Monterey, CA $91,468

Seattle, WA $91,279

Santa Rosa, CA $91,263

Los Angeles, CA $91,238

Juneau, AK $91,023

Washington, DC $90,932

Orange, CA $90,639

Santa Ana, CA $90,421

Long Beach, CA $90,338

Anaheim, CA $90,321

Anchorage, AK $90,280

Santa Maria, CA $90,032

Everett, WA $90,016

Danbury, CT $89,725

Bremerton, WA $89,611

Tacoma, WA $89,314

New Suffolk, NY $89,312

Sacramento, CA $89,289

Santa Barbara, CA $89,198

Trenton, NJ $89,108

San Diego, CA $89,108

Brockton, MA $89,017

Fairbanks, AK $88,814

Lompoc, CA $88,604

Lowell, MA $88,537

Ventura, CA $88,521

Nashua, NH $88,505

Stockton, CA $88,496

Modesto, CA $87,894

Poughkeepsie, NY $87,712

Olympia, WA $87,555

Kennewick, WA $87,555

New Haven, CT $87,522

Lawrence, MA $87,225

Hartford, CT $87,142

Riverside, CA $87,126

New Bedford, MA $87,043

Richland, WA $87,043

Bakersfield, CA $86,928

San Bernardino, CA $86,895

New Britain, CT $86,886

Atlantic City, NJ $86,886

New London, CT $86,853

Norwich, CT $86,828

Portsmouth, NH $86,812

Boulder, CO $86,637

Portland, OR $86,523

Worcester, MA $86,515

Minneapolis, MN $86,259

Philadelphia, PA $86,143

Honolulu, HI $85,871

Saint Paul, MN $85,831

Vineland, NJ $85,813

Providence, RI $85,573

Chicago, IL $85,334

Bellingham, WA $85,235

Springfield, MA $85,169

Baltimore, MD $85,144

Chico, CA $84,937

Pittsfield, MA $84,715

Manchester, NH $84,558

Spokane, WA $84,194

Denver, CO $84,186

Albany, NY $83,798

Troy, NY $83,765

Nassau, NY $83,677

Schenectady, NY $83,591

Wilmington, DE $83,525

Burlington, VT $83,410

Salem, OR $83,377

Portland, ME $83,121

Yakima, WA $83,038

Rochester, MN $82,782

Reno, NV $82,741

Fresno, CA $82,741

Milwaukee, WI $82,667

Detroit, MI $82,584

Ann Arbor, MI $82,570

Allentown, PA $82,559

Colorado Springs, CO $82,419

Syracuse, NY $82,378

Carson City, NV $82,378

Houston, TX $82,262

Eugene, OR $82,221

Gary, IN $82,122

Springfield, OR $82,056

Bismarck, ND $82,039

Galveston, TX $81,981

Medford, OR $81,857

Fort Collins, CO $81,824

Concord, NH $81,783

Austin, TX $81,758

Mesa, AZ $81,585

Reading, PA $81,577

Phoenix, AZ $81,568

Dallas, TX $81,544

Saint Cloud, MN $81,464

Madison, WI $81,354

Utica, NY $81,131

Rochester, NY $80,999

Des Moines, IA $80,990

Raleigh, NC $80,982

Atlanta, GA $80,858

Battle Creek, MI $80,833

Salt Lake City, UT $80,809

Lancaster, PA $80,685

Harrisburg, PA $80,569

Kansas City, MO $80,487

Champaign, IL $80,470

Kansas City, KS $80,470

Fort Worth, TX $80,462

Columbus, OH $80,448

Boca Raton, FL $80,429

Pittsburgh, PA $80,396

Richmond, VA $80,363

Indianapolis, IN $80,346

Cleveland, OH $80,338

Las Vegas, NV $80,239

Cincinnati, OH $80,239

Petersburg, VA $80,115

Huntsville, AL $79,991

Lansing, MI $79,936

Lebanon, PA $79,925

Pueblo, CO $79,917

Appleton, WI $79,892

Buffalo, NY $79,859

Dayton, OH $79,834

Racine, WI $79,818

Charlotte, NC $79,810

Saint Louis, MO $79,785

York, PA $79,735

Elkhart, IN $79,735

Gastonia, NC $79,720

Billings, MT $79,700

Beaumont, TX $79,677

Lorain, OH $79,661

Benton Harbor, MI $79,644

Toledo, OH $79,628

Binghamton, NY $79,587

Rock Hill, SC $79,578

Rockford, IL $79,537

Springfield, IL $79,504

Elyria, OH $79,496

Fargo, ND $79,496

Flagstaff, AZ $79,438

Fort Lauderdale, FL $79,388

Duluth, MN $79,339

Miami, FL $79,339

Cheyenne, WY $79,281

Grand Forks, ND $79,281

Bangor, ME $79,099

Cedar Rapids, IA $79,009

Durham, NC $78,974

Louisville, KY $78,967

Grand Rapids, MI $78,951

Hialeah, FL $78,942

Casper, WY $78,827

Scranton, PA $78,728

New Orleans, LA $78,703

Virginia Beach, VA $78,695

Akron, OH $78,653

Peoria, IL $78,546

Sarasota, FL $78,530

Nashville, TN $78,472

Omaha, NE $78,472

Green Bay, WI $78,472

Baton Rouge, LA $78,430

Charleston, SC $78,414

Jamestown, NY $78,373

Davenport, IA $78,373

Tucson, AZ $78,331

Saint Petersburg, FL $78,282

Tampa, FL $78,265

Evansville, IN $78,216

Port Arthur, TX $78,216

Bradenton, FL $78,183

Santa Fe, NM $78,034

Orlando, FL $77,885

Clearwater, FL $77,861

Canton, OH $77,687

La Crosse, WI $77,687

Albuquerque, NM $77,638

Newport News, VA $77,630

High Point, NC $77,605

Ogden, UT $77,572

Corpus Christi, TX $77,506

Norfolk, VA $77,456

Laramie, WY $77,456

Rock Island, IL $77,407

Saginaw, MI $77,390

Jacksonville, FL $77,382

Salisbury, NC $77,365

Boise, ID $77,349

Moline, IL $77,307

Fort Myers, FL $77,283

Memphis, TN $77,266

Tulsa, OK $77,225

Waterloo, IA $77,175

Spartanburg, SC $77,093

Lincoln, NE $77,051

Fort Wayne, IN $77,035

Provo, UT $77,027

Cedar Falls, IA $76,928

San Antonio, TX $76,895

Greensboro, NC $76,862

South Bend, IN $76,853

Savannah, GA $76,762

Muskegon, MI $76,729

Birmingham, AL $76,721

Winston Salem, NC $76,681

Lake Charles, LA $76,482

Anderson, IN $76,465

Lexington, KY $76,440

Augusta, GA $76,416

Greenville, SC $76,416

Lima, OH $76,350

Wichita, KS $76,341

Tuscaloosa, AL $76,341

Columbia, SC $76,267

Springfield, OH $76,250

Asheville, NC $76,118

Bloomington, IN $76,061

Knoxville, TN $75,763

Shreveport, LA $75,755

Wilmington, NC $75,648

Roanoke, VA $75,648

Topeka, KS $75,499

Frankfort, KY $75,490

Oklahoma City, OK $75,433

Chillicothe, OH $75,400

Longview, TX $75,392

Melbourne, FL $75,383

Sioux Falls, SD $75,251

Mobile, AL $75,243

Terre Haute, IN $75,210

Altoona, PA $75,160

Amarillo, TX $75,103

Killeen, TX $75,078

Fayetteville, AR $75,012

Chattanooga, TN $74,987

Sioux City, IA $74,913

Idaho Falls, ID $74,896

Lynchburg, VA $74,830

Gainesville, FL $74,723

Portsmouth, OH $74,682

Little Rock, AR $74,665

Lafayette, LA $74,632

Youngstown, OH $74,632

Daytona Beach, FL $74,582

Clarksville, TN $74,574

Pensacola, FL $74,566

Temple, TX $74,560

Hopkinsville, KY $74,318

Erie, PA $74,302

Florence, SC $74,269

Charleston, WV $74,137

Great Falls, MT $74,095

Macon, GA $73,980

Tallahassee, FL $73,971

Fayetteville, NC $73,955

Waco, TX $73,938

Helena, MT $73,881

Pine Bluff, AR $73,849

Vincennes, IN $73,748

Lubbock, TX $73,715

Alamogordo, NM $73,666

Twin Falls, ID $73,592

Rapid City, SD $73,567

Jackson, MS $73,418

Huntington, WV $73,412

Greenville, MS $73,410

Parkersburg, WV $73,326

Montgomery, AL $73,311

Wichita Falls, TX $73,228

Springfield, MO $73,228

Biloxi, MS $73,187

Monroe, LA $73,104

Johnstown, PA $73,047

Sumter, SC $73,014

Columbus, GA $73,005

Pascagoula, MS $72,848

Abilene, TX $72,848

Kingsport, TN $72,634

Albany, GA $72,634

Gulfport, MS $72,609

Alexandria, LA $72,336

Fort Smith, AR $72,130

El Paso, TX $71,907

Las Cruces, NM $71,535

Harlingen, TX $71,326

Pocatello, ID $71,312

Florence, AL $71,205

Brownsville, TX $71,189

Mcallen, TX $71,015

Dothan, AL $70,900

Columbus, MS $70,409

Altus, OK $70,024

Lawton, OK $69,867

Pierre, SD $69,570

What Skills Can Increase a First Responder's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 5.16% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Nursing Process (Mentioned in 3.34% Job Postings): The nursing process is a modified scientific method. Nursing practise was first described as a four-stage nursing process by Ida Jean Orlando in 1958.
Long Term Care (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	5.16%
Nursing Process	3.34%
Long Term Care	1.96%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a First Responder's salary.

Telemetry: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Telemetry	$85,053	3%
Accountability	$84,227	2%
Dedication	$84,227	2%
Partnering	$84,227	2%
Innovation	$84,227	2%
Commitment	$84,227	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a First Responder's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many First Responders enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a First Responder with a Associate's Degree is between $81,300 and $85,864).

First Responder Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for First Responder

No Diploma 0.1%

High School 2.1%

Associates 43.3%

Bachelors 48.9%

Masters 5.3%

Doctorate 0.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.1%
High School	2.1%
Associates	43.3%
Bachelors	48.9%
Masters	5.3%
Doctorate	0.3%

view as graph

First Responder Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a First Responder's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$76,632

Average $82,576/year

$89,479

$6,386

Average $6,881/month

$7,457

$1,474

Average $1,588/week

$1,721

$37

Average $40/hour

$43

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$89,479	$7,457	$1,721	$43
Average	$82,576	$6,881	$1,588	$40
25th Percentile	$76,632	$6,386	$1,474	$37

Salaries of jobs related to First Responder

Salary Trends for First Responder

Salaries for a First Responder can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $73,831 in 2023 to around $73,995 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of First Responder salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of First Responder Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$73,831

2024

$74,466

2025

$73,995

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$73,831
2024	$74,466
2025	$73,995
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for First Responder

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Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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