What is the typical salary range for a Firefighter?

Pay typically falls between $46,000 and $80,000 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Firefighter Salary: $66,000 Average

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Average base salary

$66,000 / year

≈ $5,500 per month · $31.73 per hour

Location

25th percentile
$46,000Average
$66,00075th percentile
$80,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

About this role

Firefighter is a professional role in the Protective Service job family. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

How this role compares

Firefighter pays 3% below the average across 24 roles in the Protective Service job family (family average $68,000).

Similar-paying roles in Protective Service

Correctional Officers and Jailers$66,000

Transportation Security Screener$66,500

Bailiff$64,000

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists$69,000

Private Detectives and Investigators$62,500

First-Line Supervisors of Security Worker$62,000

First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other$77,000

Fish and Game Wardens$77,500

Parking Enforcement Worker$53,000

Fire Inspectors and Investigators$81,500

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Firefighter make?

The average base salary for a Firefighter in the United States is $66,000 per year, or about $31.73 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $46,000 and $80,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Protective Service roles?

The Protective Service job family averages $68,000 across 24 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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