Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
None
Long-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Firefighting offers a stable public safety career with a clear national footprint and steady projected growth. With about 345,000 firefighters employed nationwide, this role represents a sizable workforce dedicated to emergency response and protection. The national median annual salary of $59,530 provides a solid earnings base, with potential for higher pay depending on location. Projected employment growth of 3.4% and an estimated 27,000 annual openings suggest ongoing demand for new entrants, including replacements and some new positions. The role calls for a blend of physical strength and stamina, problem solving and decision making, interpersonal abilities, and mechanical skills, reflecting both the physical and human-focused aspects of the work. For students, career changers, and experienced workers seeking a hands-on, community-oriented occupation that values adaptability, leadership, and attention to detail, firefighting presents a structured path with identifiable opportunities across many states and metro areas.
Firefighters earn a national median annual salary of $59,530, with significant variation by state and metro area. Among the top states by opportunity score, median pay ranges from $72,800 in Massachusetts to $100,960 in New York, with California at $85,120, Colorado at $74,170, and Washington at $94,520. This shows that certain states offer substantially higher median earnings than the national figure. At the metro level, salary differences are even more pronounced. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro reports a median salary of $152,100, while New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ lists $106,420 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA lists $113,700. Other leading metros such as Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH show median salaries of $66,980 and $73,990, respectively. Overall, location is a major factor in firefighter earning potential.
Firefighting has a sizable national employment base of about 345,000 workers and shows a projected employment growth rate of 3.4%. This projected growth indicates that the occupation is expected to expand over time rather than contract. In addition to growth, there are an estimated 27,000 annual openings, which reflect opportunities created by both workforce turnover and employment growth. The combination of a large current workforce and regular openings can be important for students and job seekers planning pathways into the field. A 3.4% growth rate is also consistently reflected in the top states and metro areas highlighted by opportunity score, suggesting that this projected rate applies broadly across key labor markets. For individuals evaluating long-term prospects, these figures together point to a career with ongoing hiring needs and moderate expansion across multiple regions.
Location plays a major role in opportunity for firefighters, as shown by differences in salary, employment levels, and opportunity scores across states and metros. Among states, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington rank highest by opportunity score. New York and Washington stand out for higher median salaries of $100,960 and $94,520, while California pairs a high median salary of $85,120 with the largest listed employment level of 31,470. Massachusetts and Colorado also present solid earnings and employment, with median salaries of $72,800 and $74,170. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ top the list by opportunity score, both offering six-figure median salaries. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also show notable combinations of employment, salaries, and opportunity scores, giving prospective firefighters several strong geographic options.
The typical education requirement for firefighters is a postsecondary nondegree award, indicating that some formal training beyond high school is generally expected, but not a full college degree. This structure can make the career accessible to those seeking a shorter, focused educational path. Success in this field also relies on a broad mix of skills. Physical strength and stamina are important alongside fine motor abilities, reflecting the physical nature of the work. Problem solving and decision making, detail orientation, and adaptability support effective performance in varied and changing situations. Interpersonal and customer service skills highlight the people-focused dimension of firefighting, while leadership capabilities are valuable for coordinating with others. Mechanical and science skills further round out the profile, showing the importance of understanding equipment and underlying concepts. Together, this mix of education and skills offers a clear roadmap for preparing to enter and advance in the occupation.
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