How much firefighters get paid in every US state

New York pays its firefighters a median salary of $88,380.Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesBureau of Labor Statistics data shows the salaries of firefighters across the US.The highest median wages were in Washington and New York, while the lowest were in Louisiana.The highest reported 90th percentile wage was $143,830 in California.Amid hazy, orange skies, many Americans have once again taken refuge indoors from Canadian wildfire smoke this summer.The most recent wave of smoke serves as a reminder that fires can have effects that reach far beyond their initial damage. It also highlights the importance of firefighters and the risks associated with the profession, especially as conditions continue to worsen due to the climate crisis.So how does pay correlate to such a key job? As we'll see below, firefighter wages fluctuate dramatically across the 50 states, with some states recording six-figure earnings for the highest earners, while others in the 10th percentile of earners barely scratch the $25,000 mark.The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics provides data on firefighter wages. Using the most recent data from May 2024, Business Insider identified the median annual salaries of firefighters in every US state.We also identified the overall salary range of firefighters in each state, ranging from the low-end 10th percentile to the high-end 90th percentile of salaries.Chris Lake, the director of collective bargaining for the International Association of Firefighters, told Business Insider that many factors contribute to pay differences from state to state. For starters, every state has differences in cost of living, housing prices, taxes, and other factors, so salaries will often reflect these characteristics.Budgets and pay can vary widely at the local level."There's an old saying: If you've seen one fire department, well, you've only seen one fire department," Lake said. Differences in the type of department — local, county/regional, state, or federal — paired with balancing a budget for other agencies and services adds to the complexity, he said. The pay a career firefighter receives usually comes from tax dollars at the department's respective level of government."There's no uniform method anywhere that says, 'This is how you're going to fund emergency services,'" Lake said.He also noted that a department's location and the makeup of the response area play a role. While some fire departments train for responding to fires in dense cities with skyscrapers, others are preparing for wildfires and water rescue. These differences in response, training, and equipment could affect budgeting and pay.Another crucial detail: Nearly 70% of firefighters in the US are volunteers, according to FEMA, and many states heavily rely on their services. Though these firefighters may receive benefits, such as tax credits and certifications, they respond to emergencies for no regular paycheck.All in all, a host of variables determine the final amount on a firefighter's pay stub. Here's what that pay might look like for firefighters across the US.Hawaii was not included in the BLS data.AlabamaA firetruck at a children's library event in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.Luisa P Oswalt/ShutterstockMedian annual salary: $47,490Annual 10th percentile salary: $30,880Annual 90th percentile salary: $73,360AlaskaFirefighters using a hose in Fairbanks, Alaska.Robert J Lype/ShutterstockMedian annual salary: $63,220Annual 10th percentile salary: $31,600Annual 90th percentile salary: $87,940ArizonaA firefighter carrying a hose after putting out a car fire during a heatwave in Phoenix, Arizona.Patrick T. Fallon/AFPMedian annual salary: $58,650Annual 10th percentile salary: $36,650Annual 90th percentile salary: $79,780ArkansasFirefighters demonstrate a "jaws of life" rescue in Conway, Arkansas.TAH Media/ShutterstockMedian annual salary: $42,100Annual 10th percentile salary: $28,600Annual 90th percentile salary: $63,930CaliforniaWildland firefighters walk along a trail during training in Sunland, California.Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesMedian annual salary: $83,400Annual 10th percentile salary: $51,580Annual 90th percentile salary: $143,830ColoradoFirefighters extinguishing hot spots after a fire in Nederland, Colorado.Matthew Jonas/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images/MediaNews Group via Getty ImagesMedian annual salary: $76,560Annual 10th percentile salary: $47,030Annual 90th percentile salary: $109,680ConnecticutA helicopter fights a brush fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, Connecticut.Connecticut Post/Hearst Newspapers/Houston Chronicle via Getty ImagesMedian annual salary: $77,660Annual 10th percentile salary: $48,580Annual 90th percentile salary: $86,140DelawareThe Wilmington Fire Department celebrates its 100th anniversary.BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty ImagesMedian annual salary: $48,060Annual 10th percentile salary: $40,560Annual 90th percentile salary: $72,380FloridaA firetruck drives throug

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