Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| District of Columbia | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $75,870 | $62,011 | +22% |
| Median hourly wage | $36.48 | $29.81 | +22% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $69,035.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Firefighter in District of Columbia is $75,870, or about $36.48 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Firefighters is $62,011. District of Columbia is +22% above the national median.
Entry-level firefighters in District of Columbia typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 1,480 firefighter jobs on record and a median salary of $75,870, District of Columbia offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 266 of the 465 occupations reported in District of Columbia — higher than 43% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Detectives and Criminal Investigators at $160,760, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $134,760, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers at $126,560 — all figures are median annual wages for District of Columbia.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. District of Columbia levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 152.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 266 of the 465 occupations reported in District of Columbia — higher than 43% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in District of Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $160,760 | $2,980 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $134,760 | $1,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $126,560 | $380 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | $97,640 | $100 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $88,650 | $4,720 |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | $88,570 | $80 |
District of Columbia levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 152.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 465 occupations in District of Columbia.