National and state-by-state median wages · BLS OEWS data · Updated September 10, 2026
| # | State | Median Annual Salary | vs. National | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $100,960 | ▲ 63% | 12,950 |
| 2 | Washington | $94,520 | ▲ 52% | 7,560 |
| 3 | California | $85,120 | ▲ 37% | 31,470 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $84,130 | ▲ 36% | 7,500 |
| 5 | Illinois | $78,380 | ▲ 26% | 18,400 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $77,630 | ▲ 25% | 2,970 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $75,870 | ▲ 22% | 1,480 |
| 8 | Colorado | $74,170 | ▲ 20% | 6,510 |
| 9 | Maryland | $73,810 | ▲ 19% | 5,340 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $73,460 | ▲ 18% | 5,020 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $72,800 | ▲ 17% | 11,940 |
| 12 | Oregon | $70,900 | ▲ 14% | 3,790 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $67,380 | ▲ 9% | 1,620 |
| 14 | Nevada | $66,570 | ▲ 7% | 2,640 |
| 15 | Indiana | $62,780 | ▲ 1% | 8,530 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $61,040 | ▼ 2% | 1,070 |
| 17 | Texas | $60,180 | ▼ 3% | 28,170 |
| 18 | Ohio | $59,370 | ▼ 4% | 18,100 |
| 19 | Montana | $59,310 | ▼ 4% | 1,010 |
| 20 | Arizona | $59,280 | ▼ 4% | 7,500 |
| 21 | Alaska | $58,830 | ▼ 5% | 1,040 |
| 22 | Virginia | $58,670 | ▼ 5% | 11,160 |
| 23 | Florida | $58,550 | ▼ 6% | 24,570 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $58,090 | ▼ 6% | 680 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $56,620 | ▼ 9% | 2,700 |
| 26 | Iowa | $55,810 | ▼ 10% | 2,170 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $55,080 | ▼ 11% | 820 |
| 28 | Michigan | $54,640 | ▼ 12% | 6,610 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $49,710 | ▼ 20% | 4,150 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $49,300 | ▼ 20% | 7,020 |
| 31 | Missouri | $49,080 | ▼ 21% | 6,580 |
| 32 | Utah | $48,310 | ▼ 22% | 2,870 |
| 33 | Maine | $48,290 | ▼ 22% | 2,480 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $48,160 | ▼ 22% | 610 |
| 35 | Alabama | $47,600 | ▼ 23% | 7,260 |
| 36 | Idaho | $47,320 | ▼ 24% | 2,240 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $46,850 | ▼ 24% | 8,120 |
| 38 | Delaware | $46,710 | ▼ 25% | 560 |
| 39 | Georgia | $46,550 | ▼ 25% | 12,700 |
| 40 | Vermont | $46,430 | ▼ 25% | — |
| 41 | Kansas | $45,900 | ▼ 26% | 3,360 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $42,570 | ▼ 31% | 7,780 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $41,590 | ▼ 33% | 2,420 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $39,690 | ▼ 36% | 2,480 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $38,110 | ▼ 39% | 5,810 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $37,940 | ▼ 39% | 19,410 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $37,350 | ▼ 40% | 900 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $37,150 | ▼ 40% | 5,150 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $35,880 | ▼ 42% | 2,920 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $33,120 | ▼ 47% | 5,230 |
The national median annual salary for firefighters is $62,011, about $29.81 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
New York tops the list at $100,960 per year.
Louisiana has the lowest median at $33,120.
At the national median, firefighters earn about $29.81 per hour (based on a 2,080-hour work year).
The table above shows total jobs per state; states with the largest numbers of firefighters include California.