Firefighters in South Carolina
Thinking about a career as a Firefighters in South Carolina? Here’s what the data says. 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.
What do Firefighters Make in South Carolina?
For a firefighters working in South Carolina, wages run about $45,960 per year (or roughly $22.10/hour).Pay can range from $29,220 at the 10th percentile to $64,010 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,220 | $14.05 |
| 25th percentile | $35,480 | $17.06 |
| Median (50th) | $45,960 | $22.10 |
| 75th percentile | $51,430 | $24.72 |
| 90th percentile | $64,010 | $30.77 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in South Carolina compared to the national average — is 1.55, meaning that firefighters are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, firefighters earn a median of $31,415 per year ($15.10/hour), exceeding the South Carolina median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 208,197 firefighters across the United States. In South Carolina alone, around 7,570 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 4,690 firefighters.
Top South Carolina Metros for Firefighters
The largest metro-area employers of firefighters in South Carolina.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 1,420 | $46,470 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 1,280 | $45,090 |
| Columbia, SC | 930 | $45,960 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 770 | $39,610 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | 710 | $51,410 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | 540 | $50,710 |
| Florence, SC | 280 | $32,200 |
| Sumter, SC | 90 | $53,470 |
Top States for Firefighters Employment
The table below shows the states where the most firefighters work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 30,400 |
| California | 27,580 |
| Florida | 21,470 |
| Ohio | 18,750 |
| North Carolina | 18,200 |
| New York | 14,730 |
| Illinois | 14,510 |
| Massachusetts | 11,910 |
| Georgia | 11,660 |
| Virginia | 10,820 |
| Indiana | 8,550 |
| Wisconsin | 8,010 |
| Washington | 8,000 |
| South Carolina | 7,570 |
| Michigan | 7,390 |
| Alabama | 6,930 |
| Arizona | 6,870 |
| Missouri | 6,740 |
| New Jersey | 6,590 |
| Tennessee | 6,510 |
Highest-Paying States for Firefighters
These states pay the most for firefighters.
| 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 |
Skills
Key firefighters skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for firefighters, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, firefighters typically:
- 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.
- Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures.
- Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires.
- Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.
- Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered.
Work Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Getting Information
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Access
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Fire Protection
- Natural Resource Management
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Other careers like firefighters include:
- Emergency Management Directors
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
- Forest and Conservation Technicians
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
Also Known As
Airport Firefighter, Apparatus Operator, Crash Fire Firefighter, Fire Alarm Operator, Fire Apparatus Engineer, Fire Chief's Aide, Fire Engine Pump Operator, Fire Engineer, Fire Equipment Operator, Fire Fighter, Fire Hydrant Operator, Fire Management Specialist, Fire Medic, Fire Suppression Technician, Fire Technician (Fire Tech).
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 33-2011.00
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