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.
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What Tasks Do Firefighters Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of firefighters span:
- 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
Effective firefighters draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Firefighters Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- 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. This occupation is expected to grow by +6.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Firefighters Make?
| 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 |
Compensation varies 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 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for firefighters shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| 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 work in these industries:
| 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 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field 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)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for firefighters tends to involve 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
Education and Training
Typical 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), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
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)
Degree Programs
Aspiring firefighters typically earn programs in:
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
4 programs across 1 majors
Natural Resources and Conservation
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
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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