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Firefighter Salary by State (2026): Complete Table + FAQs
Firefighters protect communities around the clock with pay that varies by department size and funding. This state-by-state table from the latest official U.S. BLS OEWS release shows hourly monthly and yearly wages.
Source: U.S. BLS OEWS (latest release) · Last verified: 2026-10-08 · Methodology
Firefighter pay by state at a glance
| State | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $45.72 | $7,924 | $95,090 |
| Washington | $42.88 | $7,433 | $89,200 |
| New York | $41.90 | $7,263 | $87,150 |
| New Jersey | $41.26 | $7,151 | $85,810 |
| District of Columbia | $38.25 | $6,629 | $79,550 |
| Colorado | $37.68 | $6,532 | $78,380 |
| Illinois | $36.79 | $6,378 | $76,530 |
| Connecticut | $35.46 | $6,147 | $73,760 |
| Massachusetts | $35.20 | $6,102 | $73,220 |
| Maryland | $34.88 | $6,046 | $72,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $34.30 | $5,945 | $71,340 |
| Oregon | $34.28 | $5,941 | $71,290 |
| Nevada | $33.90 | $5,876 | $70,510 |
| Rhode Island | $32.44 | $5,623 | $67,480 |
| Indiana | $30.01 | $5,202 | $62,420 |
| Florida | $29.51 | $5,114 | $61,370 |
| Arizona | $29.26 | $5,071 | $60,850 |
| Texas | $29.04 | $5,033 | $60,390 |
| Alaska | $28.46 | $4,933 | $59,190 |
| Nebraska | $28.46 | $4,933 | $59,190 |
| Virginia | $28.00 | $4,853 | $58,240 |
| Ohio | $27.95 | $4,844 | $58,130 |
| North Dakota | $27.88 | $4,832 | $57,980 |
| Montana | $27.72 | $4,805 | $57,660 |
| Iowa | $27.52 | $4,770 | $57,240 |
| Wyoming | $27.31 | $4,733 | $56,800 |
| Michigan | $27.04 | $4,688 | $56,250 |
| New Hampshire | $26.79 | $4,644 | $55,730 |
| Missouri | $26.56 | $4,603 | $55,240 |
| Idaho | $26.19 | $4,539 | $54,470 |
| Delaware | $25.68 | $4,452 | $53,420 |
| Oklahoma | $25.14 | $4,357 | $52,280 |
| Tennessee | $24.80 | $4,299 | $51,590 |
| Utah | $24.65 | $4,273 | $51,270 |
| South Dakota | $24.60 | $4,265 | $51,180 |
| Wisconsin | $24.38 | $4,226 | $50,710 |
| Maine | $24.15 | $4,186 | $50,230 |
| Alabama | $23.90 | $4,143 | $49,720 |
| Vermont | $23.83 | $4,131 | $49,570 |
| Kansas | $23.61 | $4,093 | $49,110 |
| Georgia | $22.68 | $3,931 | $47,170 |
| Minnesota | $21.72 | $3,764 | $45,170 |
| South Carolina | $21.11 | $3,658 | $43,900 |
| Arkansas | $20.85 | $3,615 | $43,380 |
| New Mexico | $20.76 | $3,598 | $43,180 |
| North Carolina | $20.70 | $3,588 | $43,060 |
| Kentucky | $20.24 | $3,508 | $42,100 |
| West Virginia | $19.28 | $3,342 | $40,100 |
| Mississippi | $17.90 | $3,103 | $37,230 |
| Louisiana | $17.60 | $3,051 | $36,610 |
The states that pay the most
Based on the data above, the top-paying states for this occupation are California, Washington, New York, New Jersey, District of Columbia. Always compare pay against cost of living — a lower dollar wage in a cheaper state can win.
- California — $95,090 a year
- Washington — $89,200 a year
- New York — $87,150 a year
- New Jersey — $85,810 a year
- District of Columbia — $79,550 a year
Frequently asked questions
Which state pays firefighters the most?
The table above ranks every published state and California currently leads. Large well-funded departments tend to pay more for similar work.
What is the average firefighter salary?
The U.S. mean firefighter wage is about $63,630 a year (about $30.59 per hour) in the latest BLS OEWS release with a median near $59,280.
How do volunteer and career firefighter pay differ?
This table covers career firefighters. Volunteer departments pay little or no salary so they do not appear prominently in the wage data.
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