How Much Does a Firefighter Make a Year?
Firefighters are often called to put out fires at residences, commercial buildings and various outside structures. Some firefighters specialize in putting out forest fires, including an elite group called "smoke jumpers" who parachute down into forest fires. Firefighters also remove hazardous substances and provide emergency medical services to people and animals. Most firefighters earn an annual salary. However, some firefighters may also receive bonuses.
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Average Salary
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Firefighters earn annual salaries of $34,398 to $57,965, according to 2011 information from PayScale.com. Including bonuses, a firefighter can earn a total annual income of $34,897 to $62,395. Comparably, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average median wage for a firefighter is $44,260. The middle 50 percent of all firefighters make between $31,180 and $58,440 per year. Additionally, StateUniversity.com reports that the average salary for a firefighter is $18.43 per hour or $38,334 per year, based on a 40-hour work week. Glassdoor.com also lists 40 salaries for firefighter, most of which fall between $30,000 and $55,000.
Years of Experience
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Firefighters can earn substantial increases as they gain experience. For example, a firefighter with less than one year of experience earns a salary of $29,230 to $40,492 per year, according to PayScale.com. Once a firefighter has one to four years of experience, he can earn an annual salary of $30,729 to $47,097. Additionally, firefighters with five to nine years of experience can expect to earn annual salaries of $35,317 to $55,521. A firefighter with 10 to 19 years of experience earns between $41,535 and $67,127. And with 20 or more years of experience, a firefighter can earn an annual salary of $50,449 to $79,418.
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Salary by Industry
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A firefighter's income can vary according to his employer or industry. For example, firefighters who work for fire departments earn annual salaries of $34,612 to $58,442, per PayScale.com. Firefighters who work for the federal government can earn salaries of $38,566 to $58,404. Firefighters in the armed forces typically earn annual salaries of $25,210 to $42,078. And firefighters in emergency medical services earn salaries between $38,794 and $67,937.
Salary by State
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Firefighters can also earn more in certain states. California pays firefighters the highest annual salaries at $40,709 to $81,390, per PayScale.com. Firefighters can also earn relatively high annual salaries in Illinois and New York: $42,310 to $70,957 and $38,088 to $65,772, respectively. The Southeastern states tend to pay the lowest firefighter salaries. For example, a firefighter in South Carolina only makes $27,908 to $36,300 per year. Georgia firefighters do slightly better at $31,508 to $44,276.
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References
- Photo Credit Fireman on Emergency Scene image by Jeffrey Zalesny from Fotolia.com
