Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Washington | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $94,520 | $62,011 | +52% |
| Median hourly wage | $45.44 | $29.81 | +52% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $88,336.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Firefighter in Washington is $94,520, or about $45.44 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Firefighters is $62,011. Washington is +52% above the national median.
Entry-level firefighters in Washington typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 7,560 firefighter jobs on record and a median salary of $94,520, Washington offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 231 of the 757 occupations reported in Washington — higher than 69% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $136,280, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers at $129,350, Fire Inspectors and Investigators at $122,900 — all figures are median annual wages for Washington.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Washington has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 115.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, firefighters rank 231 of the 757 occupations reported in Washington — higher than 69% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Washington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $136,280 | $2,750 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $129,350 | $3,350 |
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $122,900 | $380 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $115,790 | $1,850 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $102,080 | $9,160 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $98,910 | $1,400 |
Washington has no state income tax on wages, so take-home pay is closer to the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 115.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 757 occupations in Washington.