Firefighter Career Salary in the United States

How much does a Firefighter Career make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Firefighter Career in the United States is $52,740 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $66,518
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,323 to $59,952
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,301
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View as table View as graph 25% $48,323 10% $44,301 90% $66,518 75% $59,952 $52,740 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Firefighter Career Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $59,952 $4,996 $1,153 $29
Average $52,740 $4,395 $1,014 $25
25th Percentile $48,323 $4,027 $929 $23
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Key Factors That Influence Firefighter Career Salaries

A Firefighter Career'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 Experience Level Affects Firefighter Career Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Firefighter Career's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $37,021
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $42,093
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $51,237
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $61,969
  • Expert (over 8 years): $61,839
Levels Salary
Contact C... Level Firefighter Career$37,021
Contact C... Level Firefighter Career$42,093
Firefight... Level Firefighter Career$51,237
Contact C... Level Firefighter Career$61,969
Outbound ... Level Firefighter Career$61,839
$37,021 0 yr
$42,093 < 2 yrs
$51,237 2-4 yrs
$61,969 5-8 yrs
$61,839 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Firefighter Career 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 Firefighter Careers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $58,394.
  • California: $58,172.
  • Massachusetts: $57,397.

Top Paying Cities for Firefighter Careers

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: $66,521
  • San Francisco: $65,867
  • Oakland: $64,406

What Skills Can Increase a Firefighter Career's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 19.13% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Business Process Outsourcing (Mentioned in 1.43% Job Postings): Business process outsourcing (BPO) is the delegation of one or more IT-intensive business processes to an external provider that, in turn, owns, administrates and manages the selected processes based on defined and measurable performance metrics.
  • Telemarketing (Mentioned in 1.05% Job Postings): Telemarketing (sometimes known as inside sales, or telesales in the UK and Ireland) is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled during the call. Telemarketing can also include recorded sales pitches programmed to be played over the phone via automatic dialing. Telemarketing is defined as contacting, qualifying, and canvassing prospective customers using telecommunications devices such as telephone, fax, and internet. It does not include direct mail marketing.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 19.13%
Business Process Outsourcing 1.43%
Telemarketing 1.05%
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 Firefighter Career's salary.
  • Billing: Can increase your salary by up to 49%.
  • Troubleshooting: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Building Relationships: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Billing
$78,583
49%
Troubleshooting
$62,761
19%
Building Relationships
$62,761
19%
Technical Support
$60,124
14%
Customer Service
$59,596
13%
Written Communication
$58,541
11%
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How Education impacts a Firefighter Career's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Firefighter Careers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Firefighter Career with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $51,090 and $56,002).

Firefighter Career Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Firefighter Career
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 31.3%
High School 31.3%
Associates 18.8%
Bachelors 31.3%
Masters 18.8%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Firefighter Career Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Firefighter Career'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 April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Firefighter Career

Salaries for a Firefighter Career can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $42,964 in 2023 to around $42,646 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Firefighter Career salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Firefighter Career Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$42,964
2024
$42,909
2025
$42,646
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $42,964
2024 $42,909
2025 $42,646
2026
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2027
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Most common benefits for Firefighter Career

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Firefighter Career

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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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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