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Here's how much firefighters make in every US state

Business Insider
February 27, 2026
FDNY firefighters standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Yuki Iwamura/AP Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the salaries of firefighters across the US. The highest median wages were in Washington and New York, while the lowest were in Louisiana. The highest reported 90th percentile wage was $143,830 in California. Every day, firefighters in communities across the US risk their lives responding to emergencies. And in the age of worsening wildfires driven by the climate crisis, their jobs have become more important than ever. So how does pay correlate to such a key job? As we'll see below, firefighter wages fluctuate dramatically across the 50 states, with some states recording six-figure earnings for the highest earners, while others in the 10th percentile of earners barely scratch the $25,000 mark. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics provides data on firefighter wages. Using the most recent data from May 2024, Business Insider identified the median annual salaries of firefighters in every US state. We also identified the overall salary range of firefighters in each state, ranging from the low-end 10th percentile to the high-end 90th percentile of salaries. Chris Lake, the director of collective bargaining for the International Association of Firefighters, told Business Insider that many factors contribute to pay differences from state to state. For starters, every state has differences in cost of living, housing prices, taxes, and other factors, so salaries will often reflect these characteristics. And beyond the economic conditions a fire department operates in, budgets and pay can vary massively on a local level. "There's an old saying: If you've seen one fire department, well, you've only seen one fire department," Lake said. Differences in the type of department — local, county/regional, state, or federal — paired with balancing a budget for other agencies and services adds to the complexity, he said. The pay a career firefighter receives usually comes from tax dollars at the department's respective level of government. "There's no uniform method anywhere that says, 'This is how you're going to fund emergency services,'" Lake said. He also noted that a department's location and the makeup of the response area play a role. While some fire departments train for responding to fires in dense cities with skyscrapers, others are preparing for wildfires and water rescue. These differences in response, training, and equipment could affect budgeting and pay. Another crucial detail: Nearly 70% of firefighters in the US are volunteers, according to FEMA, and many states heavily rely on their services. Though these firefighters may receive benefits, such as tax credits and certifications, they respond to emergencies for no regular paycheck. All in all, a host of variables determine the final amount on a firefighter's pay stub. Here's what that pay might look like for firefighters across the US. Hawaii was not included in the BLS data. Alabama A firetruck at a children's library event in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Luisa P Oswalt/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $47,490 Annual 10th percentile salary: $30,880 Annual 90th percentile salary: $73,360 Alaska Firefighters using a hose in Fairbanks, Alaska. Robert J Lype/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $63,220 Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,600 Annual 90th percentile salary: $87,940 Arizona A firefighter carrying a hose after putting out a car fire during a heatwave in Phoenix, Arizona. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP Median annual salary: $58,650 Annual 10th percentile salary: $36,650 Annual 90th percentile salary: $79,780 Arkansas Firefighters demonstrate a "jaws of life" rescue in Conway, Arkansas. TAH Media/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $42,100 Annual 10th percentile salary: $28,600 Annual 90th percentile salary: $63,930 California Wildland firefighters walk along a trail during training in Sunland, California. Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Median annual salary: $83,400 Annual 10th percentile salary: $51,580 Annual 90th percentile salary: $143,830 Colorado Firefighters extinguishing hot spots after a fire in Nederland, Colorado. Matthew Jonas/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images/MediaNews Group via Getty Images Median annual salary: $76,560 Annual 10th percentile salary: $47,030 Annual 90th percentile salary: $109,680 Connecticut A helicopter fights a brush fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, Connecticut. Connecticut Post/Hearst Newspapers/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images Median annual salary: $77,660 Annual 10th percentile salary: $48,580 Annual 90th percentile salary: $86,140 Delaware The Wilmington Fire Department celebrates its 100th anniversary. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images Median annual salary: $48,060 Annual 10th percentile salary: $40,560 Annual 90th percentile salary: $72,380 Florida A firetruck drives through the streets of Altamonte Springs, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel Median annual salary: $58,360 Annual 10th percentile salary: $37,330 Annual 90th percentile salary: $90,010 Georgia Firefighters respond to a fire at an antiques mall in Atlanta, Georgia. Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images Median annual salary: $45,970 Annual 10th percentile salary: $33,290 Annual 90th percentile salary: $61,530 Idaho Children squirt water at firefighters in Eagle, Idaho. txking/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $53,860 Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,210 Annual 90th percentile salary: $91,990 Illinois An old-fashioned firetruck transports attendees at a St. Patrick's Day parade in Chicago, Illinois. Roberto Galan/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $79,080 Annual 10th percentile salary: $33,760 Annual 90th percentile salary: $117,060 Indiana Firefighters extinguish the remnants of a fire in Bloomington, Indiana. Jeremy Hogan/Jeremy Hogan Median annual salary: $61,470 Annual 10th percentile salary: $36,940 Annual 90th percentile salary: $88,940 Iowa Firetrucks after an emergency response in Burlington, Iowa. Ken's Clicks/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $55,190 Annual 10th percentile salary: $34,970 Annual 90th percentile salary: $87,840 Kansas Emergency Medical Services vehicles respond to a wildfire near Protection, Kansas. Bo Rader/Wichita Eagle/TNS Median annual salary: $44,060 Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,030 Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,390 Kentucky Two firefighters stand amidst a pile of rubble after a tornado in Dawson Springs, Kentucky. Scott Olson/Getty Images Median annual salary: $37,140 Annual 10th percentile salary: $26,680 Annual 90th percentile salary: $58,860 Louisiana Firefighters rest after extinguishing a fire in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jen Golbeck/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Median annual salary: $33,700 Annual 10th percentile salary: $23,320 Annual 90th percentile salary: $52,080 Maine Firefighters walk through floodwaters during an emergency response in Ocean Park, Maine. Portland Press Herald/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images Median annual salary: $47,490 Annual 10th percentile salary: $33,900 Annual 90th percentile salary: $63,040 Maryland Firefighters gather during a response in Baltimore, Maryland. Wesley Lapointe for The Washington Post via Getty Images Median annual salary: $70,580 Annual 10th percentile salary: $45,450 Annual 90th percentile salary: $99,940 Massachusetts Firefighters clean up after extinguishing an electric car fire in Boston, MA. David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Median annual salary: $73,110 Annual 10th percentile salary: $47,330 Annual 90th percentile salary: $98,610 Michigan Firefighters practice a water rescue on Lake St. Clair near Harrison Township, Michigan. UCG/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Median annual salary: $55,570 Annual 10th percentile salary: $37,440 Annual 90th percentile salary: $78,590 Minnesota A firetruck drives in a parade in Staples, Minnesota. Jerry Pruitt/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $41,990 Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,040 Annual 90th percentile salary: $72,970 Mississippi A firefighter walks past a damaged house in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images Median annual salary: $36,980 Annual 10th percentile salary: $27,070 Annual 90th percentile salary: $54,030 Missouri A firefighter stands in front of the rubble of a strip mall in Ferguson, Missouri. Scott Olson/Getty Images Median annual salary: $48,470 Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,910 Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,960 Montana Firefighters put out a wildfire in Big Timber, Montana. Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Median annual salary: $64,020 Annual 10th percentile salary: $46,640 Annual 90th percentile salary: $78,880 Nebraska Firefighters battle a fire near Springview, Nebraska. Dave Weaver/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $61,760 Annual 10th percentile salary: $45,120 Annual 90th percentile salary: $69,400 Nevada A firefighter opens the storage compartment of a firetruck in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Kyle Oster/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $67,120 Annual 10th percentile salary: $48,170 Annual 90th percentile salary: $97,440 New Hampshire Firefighters drive a vintage firetruck at a Christmas parade in Concord, New Hampshire. Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Median annual salary: $57,030 Annual 10th percentile salary: $34,770 Annual 90th percentile salary: $83,770 New Jersey Firefighters use a truck's ladder to battle a fire in Hawthorne, New Jersey. Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images Median annual salary: $87,660 Annual 10th percentile salary: $47,090 Annual 90th percentile salary: $124,980 New Mexico Firefighters undergoing training in Abeytas, New Mexico. MICHAEL A JACKSON FILMS/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $42,920 Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,200 Annual 90th percentile salary: $59,580 New York Firefighters conversing while responding to a fire in New York City. Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images Median annual salary: $88,380 Annual 10th percentile salary: $56,220 Annual 90th percentile salary: $105,270 North Carolina Firefighters take a break after responding to a wildfire in Saluda, North Carolina. Allison Joyce/Getty Images Median annual salary: $37,250 Annual 10th percentile salary: $28,360 Annual 90th percentile salary: $64,140 North Dakota A firefighter works with volunteers to prepare for a flood in Horace, North Dakota. Scott Olson/Getty Images Median annual salary: $53,660 Annual 10th percentile salary: $37,950 Annual 90th percentile salary: $74,610 Ohio Firefighters hose down a house in Dayton, Ohio. Martin Wheeler III/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $59,470 Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,420 Annual 90th percentile salary: $87,160 Oklahoma Firefighters put out hotspots in a home after a wildfire in Mannford, Oklahoma. Scott Olson/Getty Images Median annual salary: $47,270 Annual 10th percentile salary: $28,990 Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,700 Oregon Firefighters put out a hotspot after a wildfire northeast of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Payton Bruni / AFP Median annual salary: $73,270 Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,010 Annual 90th percentile salary: $102,920 Pennsylvania Firefighters fill a hydrant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cavan-Images/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $71,430 Annual 10th percentile salary: $34,820 Annual 90th percentile salary: $90,240 Rhode Island A firefighter directs a firetruck while standing in a flooded street in Cranston, Rhode Island. Darren McCollester/Getty Images Median annual salary: $69,480 Annual 10th percentile salary: $52,000 Annual 90th percentile salary: $89,140 South Carolina Firefighters rescue a baby turtle caught in a fishing net in Charleston, South Carolina. Adam McCullough/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $45,960 Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,220 Annual 90th percentile salary: $64,010 South Dakota Children line up to view a firetruck in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jim Parkin/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $47,520 Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,650 Annual 90th percentile salary: $62,140 Tennessee Firefighters respond to a house fire in Nashville, Tennessee. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images Median annual salary: $47,300 Annual 10th percentile salary: $32,480 Annual 90th percentile salary: $71,300 Texas Firefighters participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Parade in Houston, Texas. Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images Median annual salary: $60,840 Annual 10th percentile salary: $42,430 Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,840 Utah Firetrucks at a station in Saint George, Utah. MATTHEW GOLDBERG/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $49,270 Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,890 Annual 90th percentile salary: $81,240 Vermont Firefighters put out a barn fire in Charlotte, Vermont. Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images Median annual salary: $46,130 Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,480 Annual 90th percentile salary: $58,240 Virginia Firefighters gather in a huddle during training in New Baltimore, Virginia. Cindy Goff/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $58,300 Annual 10th percentile salary: $38,280 Annual 90th percentile salary: $78,220 Washington Firefighters gather in response to a fire in Seattle, Washington. Ian Dewar Photography/Shutterstock Median annual salary: $93,490 Annual 10th percentile salary: $41,650 Annual 90th percentile salary: $118,460 West Virginia Firefighters spray water at a house fire in West Virginia. Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Median annual salary: $41,500 Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,280 Annual 90th percentile salary: $59,770 Wisconsin A firefighter observes flooding in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Andy Manis/Getty Images Median annual salary: $47,710 Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,200 Annual 90th percentile salary: $77,960 Wyoming Firefighters work near Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images Median annual salary: $51,850 Annual 10th percentile salary: $38,890 Annual 90th percentile salary: $70,570 Read the original article on Business Insider
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Originally published on Business Insider on 2/27/2026