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Firefighters: Career Profile
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
The Daily Work of Firefighters Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of firefighters include:
- Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
- Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
- Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful firefighters draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Airport Firefighter
- Apparatus Operator
- Crash Fire Firefighter
- Fire Alarm Operator
- Fire Apparatus Engineer
- Fire Chief's Aide
- Fire Engine Pump Operator
- Fire Engineer
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 208,197 firefighters working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.5% over the projection horizon.
Firefighters Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $31,415 |
| Hourly median | $15.10 |
| 10th percentile | $21,378 |
| 25th percentile | $26,396 |
| 75th percentile | $36,434 |
| 90th percentile | $41,452 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $93,490 |
| New York | $88,380 |
| New Jersey | $87,660 |
| California | $83,400 |
| District of Columbia | $79,430 |
| Illinois | $79,080 |
| Connecticut | $77,660 |
| Colorado | $76,560 |
| Oregon | $73,270 |
| Massachusetts | $73,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,430 |
| Maryland | $70,580 |
| Rhode Island | $69,480 |
| Nevada | $67,120 |
| Montana | $64,020 |
| Alaska | $63,220 |
| Nebraska | $61,760 |
| Indiana | $61,470 |
| Texas | $60,840 |
| Ohio | $59,470 |
| Arizona | $58,650 |
| Florida | $58,360 |
| Virginia | $58,300 |
| New Hampshire | $57,030 |
| Michigan | $55,570 |
| Iowa | $55,190 |
| Idaho | $53,860 |
| North Dakota | $53,660 |
| Wyoming | $51,850 |
| Utah | $49,270 |
| Missouri | $48,470 |
| Delaware | $48,060 |
| Wisconsin | $47,710 |
| South Dakota | $47,520 |
| Maine | $47,490 |
| Alabama | $47,490 |
| Tennessee | $47,300 |
| Oklahoma | $47,270 |
| Vermont | $46,130 |
| Georgia | $45,970 |
| South Carolina | $45,960 |
| Kansas | $44,060 |
| New Mexico | $42,920 |
| Arkansas | $42,100 |
| Minnesota | $41,990 |
| West Virginia | $41,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $39,520 |
| North Carolina | $37,250 |
| Kentucky | $37,140 |
| Mississippi | $36,980 |
| Louisiana | $33,700 |
Where Firefighters Earn the Most
Compensation for firefighters shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $83,840 | 8.7% | 0.76 |
| Far Western US | $83,030 | 13.0% | 0.81 |
| New England | $67,997 | 6.8% | 1.49 |
| Rocky Mountains | $64,710 | 3.8% | 0.96 |
| Great Lakes | $62,592 | 17.5% | 1.26 |
| Southwest | $58,310 | 13.3% | 1.04 |
| Plains States | $47,633 | 6.0% | 0.91 |
| Southeast | $47,162 | 30.3% | 1.26 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Firefighters
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $164,940 | 1,180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $121,270 | 3,410 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $108,320 | 2,140 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $105,250 | 15,770 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $104,460 | 330 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $102,220 | 4,150 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $100,040 | 420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $99,210 | 7,200 |
Top Industries Employing Firefighters
Most firefighters are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 20,110 | $37,310 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 490 | $45,660 |
| Manufacturing | 460 | $68,120 |
| Educational Services | 460 | $54,430 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 320 | $51,850 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 250 | $63,130 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 120 | $74,930 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 120 | $43,130 |
Below are examples of industries where firefighters work:
Software Firefighters Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of firefighters reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How to Become Firefighters
Entry-level firefighters positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Emergency Management Directors (Supplemental)
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Forest and Conservation Technicians (Supplemental)
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians (Supplemental)
- Emergency Medical Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Paramedics (Primary-Long)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-2011.00 (Firefighters).
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