Protective service
Firefighter
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
Median pay
$59,280
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
26,800
Time to qualify*
15 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Firefighter
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
- Required
- EMT certification · CPAT physical test · Firefighter I/II certification
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Firefighter: 31% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons or provide emergency medical care such as basic or advanced life support.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
- Search to locate fire survivors.
- Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.
Also called: Fire Engineer · Fire Equipment Operator · Fire Rescue Technician (Fire Rescue Tech) · Fire Technician (Fire Tech) · Fireman · Forest Fire Suppression Specialist · Forestry Fire Technician (Forestry Fire Tech) · Hot Shot
Outlook and AI
Firefighters held 355,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 368,400 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Firefighter vs. Police officer
- Firefighter vs. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Firefighter vs. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
- Firefighter vs. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Firefighter vs. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Firefighter vs. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Firefighter vs. Emergency medical technician
- Firefighter vs. Paramedic
- Firefighter vs. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Firefighter vs. Forest and conservation workers
- Firefighter vs. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians