Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Virginia | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $58,670 | $62,011 | -5% |
| Median hourly wage | $28.21 | $29.81 | -5% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $58,032.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Firefighter in Virginia is $58,670, or about $28.21 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Firefighters is $62,011. Virginia is -5% below the national median.
Entry-level firefighters in Virginia typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 11,160 firefighter jobs on record and a median salary of $58,670, Virginia offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 408 of the 747 occupations reported in Virginia — higher than 45% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Detectives and Criminal Investigators at $112,760, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $101,230, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers at $97,780 — all figures are median annual wages for Virginia.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Virginia 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 104.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 408 of the 747 occupations reported in Virginia — higher than 45% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Virginia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $112,760 | $3,180 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $101,230 | $3,750 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $97,780 | $3,300 |
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $70,460 | $100 |
| Transportation Security Screeners | $69,910 | $1,870 |
| Fish and Game Wardens | $66,540 | $180 |
Virginia 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 104.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 747 occupations in Virginia.