Firefighter Salary, Training & Job Outlook | Career Matchup
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Firefighters

33-2011

Firefighters respond to fires and other emergencies. Their work can also include prevention, rescue, hazardous-material response, and emergency medical service. Compare national pay with the education, training, duties, and work environment below.

Median annual wage

$59,280

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Projected change

3.7%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Annual openings

26.8k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

National employment

345,990

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

Make your next step specific

A national median is not a starting salary or a local job offer. Check the department’s entry requirements and training route. When comparing firefighting with emergency management, consider the experience needed for a director role alongside its pay.

Firefighters vs emergency management: pay, education and work Explore careers without a bachelor’s degree Use the free career comparison checklist Get occasional career-data updates

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$59,280

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Mean annual wage

$63,630

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Hourly median wage

$28.50

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Hourly mean wage

$30.59

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

10th percentile annual wage

$34,910

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

25th percentile annual wage

$44,490

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

75th percentile annual wage

$77,250

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

90th percentile annual wage

$101,040

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

National employment

345,990

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2011

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

3.7%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Average annual openings

26.8k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

Postsecondary nondegree award

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

On-the-job training

Long-term on-the-job training

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2011

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

3.9 raw · CX scale
72% relative

Relative scale: 72% · raw 3.88 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Time pressure

3.4 raw · CX scale
59% relative

Relative scale: 59% · raw 3.35 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Spend time standing

3.6 raw · CX scale
65% relative

Relative scale: 65% · raw 3.61 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Exposed to contaminants

3.6 raw · CX scale
65% relative

Relative scale: 65% · raw 3.6 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Exposed to disease or infections

3.1 raw · CX scale
53% relative

Relative scale: 53% · raw 3.1 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

3.7 raw · CX scale
68% relative

Relative scale: 68% · raw 3.72 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Critical thinking

3.8 raw · LV scale
54% relative

Relative scale: 54% · raw 3.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Monitoring

3.5 raw · LV scale
50% relative

Relative scale: 50% · raw 3.5 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Active listening

3.3 raw · LV scale
46% relative

Relative scale: 46% · raw 3.25 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Active learning

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Reading comprehension

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Speaking

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Writing

3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Relative scale: 45% · raw 3.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Learning strategies

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Dependability

2.9 raw · WI scale
99% relative

Relative scale: 99% · raw 2.93 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Attention to detail

1.9 raw · WI scale
82% relative

Relative scale: 82% · raw 1.89 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Stress tolerance

3 raw · WI scale
100% relative

Relative scale: 100% · raw 3 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

Cooperation

2.8 raw · WI scale
97% relative

Relative scale: 97% · raw 2.82 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 33-2011.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 33-2011 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 33-2011 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 33-2011.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Firefighters vs Emergency Management Directors

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Verified career

Emergency Management Directors

11-9161

Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.

Median pay

$93,330

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 11-9161

Growth

3.9%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 11-9161

View career profile
Compare with Emergency Management Directors

Verified career

Fire Inspectors and Investigators

33-2021

Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions.

Median pay

$75,920

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2021

Growth

4.2%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2021

View career profile
Compare with Fire Inspectors and Investigators

Verified career

Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

33-2022

Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.

Median pay

$56,870

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-2022

Growth

13.1%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-2022

View career profile
Compare with Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists

Verified career

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators

33-9031

Observe gambling operation for irregular activities such as cheating or theft by either employees or patrons. Investigate potential threats to gambling assets such as money, chips, and gambling equipment. Act as oversight and security agent for management and customers.

Median pay

$43,370

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 33-9031

Growth

-1.8%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 33-9031

View career profile
Compare with Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators

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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.