Firefighter Salary in the United States Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$72,268
Washington
District of Columbia
$80,434
How much does a Firefighter earn in the United States?
As of March 01, 2025, a Firefighter in the United States earns
an average salary of $72,268 per year.
A Firefighter's salary can be paid hourly,
weekly or monthly depending on the company and job type.
Most part-time jobs will be paid hourly or weekly.
Using the salary calculator, the average pay comes out to be about
$35 an hour,
$1,390/week,
or $6,022/month.
The average salary of a Firefighter ranges
from $64,790 to $90,785.
The average salary range for a Firefighter varies widely,
which indicates that there are many opportunities for advancement, promotions, and salary increases.
These opportunities depend on many factors, including skills, education, certifications, location, and years of experience.
According to job salary data displays, Firefighter in District of Columbia and California are high in demand.
Firefighter in District of Columbia earn an average salary of $80,434 per year,
which is $8,166(11.3%)
more than the national average of $72,268.
District of Columbia is ranked as the top salary of a Firefighter nationwide.
What is the Average Firefighter Salary by City?
Below is a list of the average salaries for a Firefighter in 10 cities in the United States.
We've identified 354 cities
where the typical salary for a Firefighter job is above the national average.
The highest paying city for a Firefighter is in San Jose, CA,
and the average salary for a Firefighter job is $90,696,
which is higher than the national average.
This is followed by Santa Clara, CA
and Fremont, CA in second and third places,
which beat the national average by $18,428(25.5%)
and $18,284(25.3%) respectively. In fourth place is Daly City, CA,
which pays $18,067(25%),
above the national average. San Francisco, CA, Oakland, CA and Berkeley, CA continue the rankings.
Based on the summary of average salaries paid by cities,
the Firefighter job market in San Jose, CA is relatively active
with a higher-paying salary compared to other cities in the United States.
Finally, Firefighter jobs pay differently based on the city, even if they are in the same state.
The cost of living might be a key factor when considering the location and salary of a Firefighter position.
CITY
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
San Jose
$90,696
$7,558
$1,744
$44
Santa Clara
$90,696
$7,558
$1,744
$44
Fremont
$90,551
$7,546
$1,741
$44
Daly City
$90,335
$7,528
$1,737
$43
San Francisco
$90,335
$7,528
$1,737
$43
Oakland
$88,167
$7,347
$1,696
$42
Berkeley
$88,167
$7,347
$1,696
$42
Hayward
$88,022
$7,335
$1,693
$42
Union City
$84,409
$7,034
$1,623
$41
West New York
$84,409
$7,034
$1,623
$41
What Similar Jobs are Paid to Firefighter in the U.S.?
There are 11 jobs that we find are related to the Firefighter job category,these similar jobs include Firefighter Paramedic,Firefighter Engineer,Firefighter Recruit,Firefighter Trainee,Industrial Firefighter,Volunteer Firefighter,Junior Firefighter,Airport Firefighter,Master Firefighter,Wildland Firefighter,and Probationary Firefighter.
All of these 11 jobs are paid
between $51,537 to $74,341,
and the Firefighter Engineer gets the highest paid with $74,341 from them.
Those similar job salaries are paid differently by many factors such as company size, department base, responsibility, and others.
If you're qualified to be hired for one of these similar jobs to the Firefighter,
you could refer to the below list of job salaries based on market prices in the United States.