Salary Comparison Tool
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Comparison
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Top-Paying States for Firefighters
Average annual salary — BLS 2024 OES data
1
$96,430
High COL2
$91,420
High COL3
$83,450
Mod. COL4
$81,230
High COL5
$79,560
High COL6
$78,350
Low COL7
$76,230
High COL8
$73,560
High COL9
$72,440
Mod. COL10
$71,230
Low COLNote: High COL states like CA, NY, NJ have significantly higher living costs.
Use the tool above to see purchasing power equivalents.
Firefighter Salary by State — All 50 States
BLS OES May 2024 · Mean annual wage · SOC 33-2011
| # | State | Avg. Salary | COL Index | State Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $96,430 | 142.3 ▲ | 1–13.3% |
| 2 | New Jersey | $91,420 | 121.2 ▲ | 1.4–10.75% |
| 3 | Washington | $83,450 | 116.5 | No income tax |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $81,230 | 148.9 ▲ | 4–10.75% |
| 5 | New York | $79,560 | 133.6 ▲ | 4–10.9% |
| 6 | Illinois | $78,350 | 100.5 | Flat 4.95% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $76,230 | 130.8 ▲ | Flat 5% |
| 8 | Connecticut | $73,560 | 122.4 ▲ | 3–6.99% |
| 9 | Maryland | $72,440 | 112.1 | 2–5.75% |
| 10 | Nevada | $71,230 | 102.5 | No income tax |
| 11 | Oregon | $70,450 | 113.9 | 4.75–9.9% |
| 12 | Hawaii | $67,890 | 120.7 ▲ | 1.4–11% |
| 13 | Alaska | $67,110 | 107.2 | No income tax |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $64,350 | 118.6 | 3.75–5.99% |
| 15 | Colorado | $63,850 | 105.5 | Flat 4.4% |
| 16 | Minnesota | $60,120 | 99.5 | 5.35–9.85% |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $59,230 | 98.2 | Flat 3.07% |
| 18 | Virginia | $57,890 | 101.4 | 2–5.75% |
| 19 | Michigan | $57,680 | 93.8 | Flat 4.25% |
| 20 | Arizona | $56,890 | 96.8 | Flat 2.5% |
| 21 | Ohio | $56,780 | 93.5 | 2.765–3.99% |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $55,670 | 108.3 | No earned income tax |
| 23 | Delaware | $55,440 | 99.2 | 2.2–6.6% |
| 24 | Texas | $54,230 | 95.1 | No income tax |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $54,230 | 96.5 | 4–7.65% |
| 26 | Wyoming | $53,450 | 93.6 | No income tax |
| 27 | Utah | $52,890 | 98.8 | Flat 4.55% |
| 28 | North Dakota | $52,340 | 94.2 | 1.1–2.5% |
| 29 | Missouri | $51,340 | 89.6 ▼ | 2–4.95% |
| 30 | Florida | $51,190 | 98.6 | No income tax |
| 31 | Indiana | $50,110 | 90.1 | Flat 3.15% |
| 32 | Montana | $49,560 | 96.7 | Flat 5.9% |
| 33 | Iowa | $48,760 | 90.7 | Flat 3.8% |
| 34 | Nebraska | $48,230 | 91.3 | 2.46–6.84% |
| 35 | North Carolina | $48,120 | 94.1 | Flat 4.5% |
| 36 | New Mexico | $47,890 | 91.4 | 1.7–5.9% |
| 37 | Kansas | $47,280 | 89.5 ▼ | 3.1–5.7% |
| 38 | Georgia | $47,230 | 91.8 | Flat 5.49% |
| 39 | Idaho | $46,950 | 96.9 | Flat 5.8% |
| 40 | Alabama | $45,210 | 88.5 ▼ | Flat 5% |
| 41 | Tennessee | $44,560 | 90.5 | No earned income tax |
| 42 | Maine | $44,230 | 98.4 | 5.8–7.15% |
| 43 | Vermont | $44,230 | 109.4 | 3.35–8.75% |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $43,560 | 87.9 ▼ | 0.25–4.75% |
| 45 | Louisiana | $42,890 | 90.6 | 1.85–4.25% |
| 46 | South Dakota | $42,110 | 94.8 | No income tax |
| 47 | South Carolina | $41,760 | 91.6 | 3–7% |
| 48 | Kentucky | $41,560 | 90.2 | Flat 4.5% |
| 49 | Arkansas | $38,700 | 87.4 ▼ | 2–4.7% |
| 50 | West Virginia | $38,230 | 85.8 ▼ | 3–6.5% |
| 51 | Mississippi | $35,890 | 85.4 ▼ | Flat 4.7% |
Source: BLS OES May 2024 (SOC 33-2011).
COL: MERIC Q3 2025 (US=100).
Mean wages include base pay; OT, benefits, and specialty pay vary by department.
What Do Firefighters Make Per Year?
The average firefighter salary in the U.S. is approximately $56,941 per year
according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024, SOC 33-2011).
Pay ranges from around $35,890 in Mississippi to
$96,430 in California. The median is lower than the mean — most firefighters
in non-union or rural departments earn $40,000–$60,000.
The headline number doesn't tell the whole story. Three factors shape what a firefighter offer letter is really worth:
💰
Cost of Living
$96,000 in San Francisco buys less than $60,000 in Mississippi. Use the comparison tool above to calculate purchasing power equivalents adjusted for the MERIC cost-of-living index.
📊
State Income Tax
Nine states have no income tax. Others take up to 13.3% (California). A $90,000 offer in New Jersey looks different after 10.75% top marginal rate vs. the same offer in Texas with zero state income tax.
⏱️
Overtime & Benefits
Firefighters work FLSA Section 207(k) schedules — departments can require significant overtime. Many firefighters earn 20–40% above base pay in OT. Pension, health, and shift differential can add another 30–40% in total compensation value.
Highest Paying States for Firefighters
The top five states by average firefighter salary are California, New Jersey, Washington, New York, and Illinois. However, purchasing power — not raw salary — is what matters for quality of life.
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | COL Index | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $96,430 | 142.3 | $67,765 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $91,420 | 121.2 | $75,429 |
| 3 | Washington | $83,450 | 116.5 | $71,631 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $81,230 | 148.9 | $54,553 |
| 5 | New York | $79,560 | 133.6 | $59,551 |
| 6 | Illinois | $78,350 | 100.5 | $77,960 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $76,230 | 130.8 | $58,280 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $73,560 | 122.4 | $60,098 |
| 9 | Maryland | $72,440 | 112.1 | $64,621 |
| 10 | Nevada | $71,230 | 102.5 | $69,493 |
COL-Adjusted = salary normalized to US cost-of-living baseline (US=100). A higher COL-adjusted value means better purchasing power relative to the national average.
Why Cost of Living Changes Everything
California's $96,430 average looks impressive — until you factor in a COL index of 142.3. At that cost level, $96,430 in California has the same purchasing power as roughly $67,800 at the national average. Meanwhile, a firefighter in Nevada earning $71,230 with a COL index of 102.5 is nearly at purchasing power parity with the national baseline.
High COL states (COL > 120)
Raw salary looks high but purchasing power is lower than it appears.
- California (142.3)
- District of Columbia (148.9)
- Massachusetts (130.8)
- New York (133.6)
- Connecticut (122.4)
Low COL states (COL < 90)
Salaries appear modest but go further day-to-day.
- Mississippi (85.4)
- West Virginia (85.8)
- Arkansas (87.4)
- Oklahoma (87.9)
- Alabama (88.5)
How to Use This Firefighter Salary Comparison Tool
1
Enter your pay type & schedule
Choose Annual or Hourly. For shift-based schedules, select 24/48, 48/96, or 24/72 — the tool calculates the correct annual hours for accurate hourly conversion.
2
Enter your current or target salary
Type your base pay. To include overtime in the comparison, add your estimated OT to get your total expected annual earnings.
3
Select State A (your current state)
You'll immediately see your COL-adjusted purchasing power, effective tax rate snapshot, and equivalent national purchasing power.
4
Select State B (comparison state)
The tool calculates how much you'd need to earn in State B to match your current purchasing power — and whether the comparison is favorable or unfavorable.
5
Share your comparison
Hit "Share this comparison" to copy a URL that preserves all your selections. Send it to a recruiter, spouse, or colleague instantly.
Firefighter Salary FAQ
The national average firefighter salary is approximately $56,941 per year (BLS OES May 2024, SOC 33-2011). Pay ranges from about $35,890 in Mississippi to $96,430 in California. Most firefighters in municipal departments earn between $45,000 and $75,000 in base pay, with overtime and benefits adding substantially to total compensation.
California has the highest average firefighter salary at $96,430 (BLS 2024), followed by New Jersey ($91,420), Washington ($83,450), New York ($79,560), and Illinois ($78,350). Note: California and New York have very high costs of living — a COL-adjusted comparison often shows states like Nevada or Washington in a stronger position.
A good firefighter salary depends on where you live. Nationally, $56,941 is the average. In California, $75,000–$100,000+ is typical. In Texas or Florida, $50,000–$65,000 represents solid pay. Use the purchasing power comparison above to evaluate any offer against your local cost of living.
The BLS averages reflect mean wages and may partially capture overtime, but do not account for all OT potential. Firefighter overtime under FLSA 207(k) can add $10,000–$30,000+ per year. Enter your expected total earnings (base + typical OT) for a more realistic comparison.
A higher salary doesn't always mean higher purchasing power. $96,430 in California (COL 142.3) buys roughly the same as $67,800 at the national average. This tool uses the MERIC cost-of-living index (US=100) to normalize salaries and show equivalent purchasing power across states.
Both 24/48 and 48/96 result in approximately 56 hours per week — roughly 2,912 annual hours. A 24/72 schedule is about 42 hours/week (2,184 hours). This tool uses these schedule hours to convert between hourly and annual rates accurately, so your pay comparison reflects your actual working arrangement.
No — the tool compares base wages. Benefits like pension (PEPRA, traditional defined benefit), health insurance, shift differential, longevity pay, and specialty certifications can add 30–50% to total compensation value. When comparing departments, always ask for the full benefits package and pension formula.
1) Narrow to a specific city or metro — costs vary widely within a state. 2) Request the official department pay scale (steps, longevity). 3) Calculate net pay after state + local income tax. 4) Factor in pension type and vesting schedule. 5) Check CPAT and department hiring requirements with our CPAT Pacing Calculator.
Data disclaimer: All salary figures are mean annual wages from BLS OES May 2024 (SOC 33-2011).
COL data from MERIC Q3 2025. This tool is for estimation and career research only — not financial advice.
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