Colorado and Utah are the latest US states to be afflicted with deadly wildfires.
Three firefighters recently lost their lives while fighting the fires on the Colorado-Utah border, which have been induced by hot and dry weather paired with windy conditions, PBS News reported. Other states in the region, like Arizona, are also affected.
The most recent wave of fires highlights the importance of firefighters and the risk associated with the profession, especially as conditions continue to worsen due to the climate crisis.
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.
Budgets and pay can vary widely at the 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
Median annual salary: $47,490
Annual 10th percentile salary: $30,880
Annual 90th percentile salary: $73,360
Alaska
Median annual salary: $63,220
Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,600
Annual 90th percentile salary: $87,940
Arizona
Median annual salary: $58,650
Annual 10th percentile salary: $36,650
Annual 90th percentile salary: $79,780
Arkansas
Median annual salary: $42,100
Annual 10th percentile salary: $28,600
Annual 90th percentile salary: $63,930
California
Median annual salary: $83,400
Annual 10th percentile salary: $51,580
Annual 90th percentile salary: $143,830
Colorado
Median annual salary: $76,560
Annual 10th percentile salary: $47,030
Annual 90th percentile salary: $109,680
Connecticut
Median annual salary: $77,660
Annual 10th percentile salary: $48,580
Annual 90th percentile salary: $86,140
Delaware
Median annual salary: $48,060
Annual 10th percentile salary: $40,560
Annual 90th percentile salary: $72,380
Florida
Median annual salary: $58,360
Annual 10th percentile salary: $37,330
Annual 90th percentile salary: $90,010
Georgia
Median annual salary: $45,970
Annual 10th percentile salary: $33,290
Annual 90th percentile salary: $61,530
Idaho
Median annual salary: $53,860
Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,210
Annual 90th percentile salary: $91,990
Illinois
Median annual salary: $79,080
Annual 10th percentile salary: $33,760
Annual 90th percentile salary: $117,060
Indiana
Median annual salary: $61,470
Annual 10th percentile salary: $36,940
Annual 90th percentile salary: $88,940
Iowa
Median annual salary: $55,190
Annual 10th percentile salary: $34,970
Annual 90th percentile salary: $87,840
Kansas
Median annual salary: $44,060
Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,030
Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,390
Kentucky
Median annual salary: $37,140
Annual 10th percentile salary: $26,680
Annual 90th percentile salary: $58,860
Louisiana
Median annual salary: $33,700
Annual 10th percentile salary: $23,320
Annual 90th percentile salary: $52,080
Maine
Median annual salary: $47,490
Annual 10th percentile salary: $33,900
Annual 90th percentile salary: $63,040
Maryland
Median annual salary: $70,580
Annual 10th percentile salary: $45,450
Annual 90th percentile salary: $99,940
Massachusetts
Median annual salary: $73,110
Annual 10th percentile salary: $47,330
Annual 90th percentile salary: $98,610
Michigan
Median annual salary: $55,570
Annual 10th percentile salary: $37,440
Annual 90th percentile salary: $78,590
Minnesota
Median annual salary: $41,990
Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,040
Annual 90th percentile salary: $72,970
Mississippi
Median annual salary: $36,980
Annual 10th percentile salary: $27,070
Annual 90th percentile salary: $54,030
Missouri
Median annual salary: $48,470
Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,910
Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,960
Montana
Median annual salary: $64,020
Annual 10th percentile salary: $46,640
Annual 90th percentile salary: $78,880
Nebraska
Median annual salary: $61,760
Annual 10th percentile salary: $45,120
Annual 90th percentile salary: $69,400
Nevada
Median annual salary: $67,120
Annual 10th percentile salary: $48,170
Annual 90th percentile salary: $97,440
New Hampshire
Median annual salary: $57,030
Annual 10th percentile salary: $34,770
Annual 90th percentile salary: $83,770
New Jersey
Median annual salary: $87,660
Annual 10th percentile salary: $47,090
Annual 90th percentile salary: $124,980
New Mexico
Median annual salary: $42,920
Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,200
Annual 90th percentile salary: $59,580
New York
Median annual salary: $88,380
Annual 10th percentile salary: $56,220
Annual 90th percentile salary: $105,270
North Carolina
Median annual salary: $37,250
Annual 10th percentile salary: $28,360
Annual 90th percentile salary: $64,140
North Dakota
Median annual salary: $53,660
Annual 10th percentile salary: $37,950
Annual 90th percentile salary: $74,610
Ohio
Median annual salary: $59,470
Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,420
Annual 90th percentile salary: $87,160
Oklahoma
Median annual salary: $47,270
Annual 10th percentile salary: $28,990
Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,700
Oregon
Median annual salary: $73,270
Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,010
Annual 90th percentile salary: $102,920
Pennsylvania
Median annual salary: $71,430
Annual 10th percentile salary: $34,820
Annual 90th percentile salary: $90,240
Rhode Island
Median annual salary: $69,480
Annual 10th percentile salary: $52,000
Annual 90th percentile salary: $89,140
South Carolina
Median annual salary: $45,960
Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,220
Annual 90th percentile salary: $64,010
South Dakota
Median annual salary: $47,520
Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,650
Annual 90th percentile salary: $62,140
Tennessee
Median annual salary: $47,300
Annual 10th percentile salary: $32,480
Annual 90th percentile salary: $71,300
Texas
Median annual salary: $60,840
Annual 10th percentile salary: $42,430
Annual 90th percentile salary: $76,840
Utah
Median annual salary: $49,270
Annual 10th percentile salary: $35,890
Annual 90th percentile salary: $81,240
Vermont
Median annual salary: $46,130
Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,480
Annual 90th percentile salary: $58,240
Virginia
Median annual salary: $58,300
Annual 10th percentile salary: $38,280
Annual 90th percentile salary: $78,220
Washington
Median annual salary: $93,490
Annual 10th percentile salary: $41,650
Annual 90th percentile salary: $118,460
West Virginia
Median annual salary: $41,500
Annual 10th percentile salary: $29,280
Annual 90th percentile salary: $59,770
Wisconsin
Median annual salary: $47,710
Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,200
Annual 90th percentile salary: $77,960
Wyoming
Median annual salary: $51,850
Annual 10th percentile salary: $38,890
Annual 90th percentile salary: $70,570
