How much does a Firefighter make?

The national average salary for a Firefighter is $45,977 per year in United States. Filter by location to see a Firefighter salaries in your area. Salaries estimates are based on 1626 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Firefighter employees.

The highest salary for a Firefighter in United States is $71,927 per year.

The lowest salary for a Firefighter in United States is $29,389 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Firefighter or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Firefighter.

Firefighters receive stable government salaries with high benefits, reflecting their long work hours and sometimes dangerous jobs. Overtime opportunities are frequent, as communities need firefighters to respond to emergencies at all hours of the day and every day of the year. Some departments pay more to bilingual officers or officers that have a college degree. Higher ranking officers are generally paid higher, but they also face a greater degree of responsibility. Some departments offer generous pensions and the opportunity to retire early.

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According to anonymous ratings on Glassdoor, about 71% of firefighters say they feel satisfied with their base salary. A university degree, special skills training, and picking up a second language can all help you raise your firefighter's salary.

Join thousands of real professionals anonymously talking about salaries in their industry

Firefighter pay falls across a broad spectrum, from $31,470.06 to $78,492.00. The major factors affecting how much a firefighter earns are the job location, years on the career path, and departmental policy. As an experienced firefighter, you might acquire specialist skills in time. These include working with hazardous materials or certification as a paramedic, which could boost your compensation to $49,564.46.

Learn more about negotiating salaries from thousands of other real professionals

Are you a firefighter who would like to earn more money? Many fire departments will pay a bonus for firefighters who learn an in-demand second language, earn a bachelor's degree, or certify as a paramedic. You can also advance through the ranks as a fire captain, battalion chief, and eventually chief, earning significantly higher pay as you advance in your career. In some departments, you can earn additional pay for taking on hazardous duty or for learning specialty skills, such as working with toxic or other dangerous materials or expertise in wilderness rescue operations.

There are several ways to improve your position when you're negotiating your pay as a firefighter, especially when looking for a new job. Start by looking around for an area with high base compensation for fire crews. Broaden your search to include wildland firefighting and flight-rescue operations. You can also earn firefighter and EMT certifications on your own before going to the fire academy, which usually reduces the training commitment the department has to make and allows you to negotiate a more promising starting salary with almost any department you apply to. It further helps to have some experience, even as a volunteer firefighter, before applying.