Skip to main contentReport an accessibility problem
ASU for LifeASU for Life

Firefighters

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and SecurityO*NET 33-2011.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$59,283

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+6.4%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

45.3% of the workforce

Employment
357.17K jobs

Growing to 380.04K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

Loading available locations…

Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

Loading related ASU learning

The work

What firefighters do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
  • Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
  • Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
  • Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
  • Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
  • Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.
  • Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
  • Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.
  • Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures.
  • Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires.
  • Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.
  • Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered.
  • Collaborate with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew.
  • Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires.
  • Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls.
  • Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques.
  • Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences.
  • Prepare written reports that detail specifics of fire incidents.
  • Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness.
  • Protect property from water and smoke, using waterproof salvage covers, smoke ejectors, and deodorants.
  • Inform and educate the public on fire prevention.
  • Salvage property by removing broken glass, pumping out water, and ventilating buildings to remove smoke.
  • Orient self in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute.
  • Clean and maintain fire stations and fire fighting equipment and apparatus.
  • Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary.
  • Take action to contain any hazardous chemicals that could catch fire, leak, or spill.
  • Extinguish flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovels or engine- or hand-driven water or chemical pumps.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$34,919
25th percentile
$44,490
50th percentile
$59,283
75th percentile
$77,262
90th percentile
$101,078

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $59,283 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+6.4%faster than average
2025357,172 jobs
2035 projected380,044 jobs

22,872 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
45.3%
Certificate
24.6%
Some college
19.5%
Associate degree
7.2%
Master's or Professional degree
3%
Bachelor's degree
0.4%
Doctoral degree or more
0.1%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Firefighting
  • Emergency Medical Services
  • Fire Suppression Systems
  • Fire Prevention
  • Emergency Response
  • NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Codes
  • First Aid
  • Fire Service
  • Fire Protection
  • Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
  • Fire Safety
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
  • Physical Fitness
  • Fire Alarm Systems
  • Good Driving Record
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • National Incident Management Systems
  • Incident Command Systems
  • Alarm Devices
  • Lifting Ability

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Equipment Selection
Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Firefighters2,559 postings
  2. 02Firefighters/Paramedics962 postings
  3. 03Firemen97 postings
  4. 04Lead Firefighters84 postings
  5. 05Fire Lieutenants66 postings
  6. 06Supervisory Firefighters64 postings
  7. 07Airport Firefighters60 postings
  8. 08Auxiliaries50 postings
  9. 09Firefighter Engineers45 postings
  10. 10Aircraft Rescue Firefighters36 postings
  11. 11Firefighters/Lieutenants36 postings
  12. 12Reserve Firefighters36 postings
  13. 13Fire Medics33 postings
  14. 14Paramedics32 postings
  15. 15Resource Specialists31 postings
  16. 16Emergency Medical Technicians - Basic30 postings
  17. 17Firefighters/Medics30 postings
  18. 18Emergency Response Officers29 postings
  19. 19Rescue Technicians28 postings
  20. 20Bosses26 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Vallen Distribution106 postings
  2. 02Securitas93 postings
  3. 03Metro Paramedic Services Incorporated64 postings
  4. 04United States Department of Defense60 postings
  5. 05Department Of Emergency Services46 postings
  6. 06Rural Metro Fire46 postings
  7. 07Amentum31 postings
  8. 08Cedar Point31 postings
  9. 09Allied Universal29 postings
  10. 10Wildfire Defense Systems27 postings
  11. 11Constellis22 postings
  12. 12Boeing19 postings
  13. 13State of Nevada19 postings
  14. 14State of Massachusetts18 postings
  15. 15NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital15 postings
  16. 16State of Washington15 postings
  17. 17Arctic Slope Regional Corporation12 postings
  18. 18The Nature Conservancy12 postings
  19. 19City Of Springfield11 postings
  20. 20GardaWorld11 postings

Keep looking

Related careers

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

Median pay
$117,853
Employment outlook
+2.5%

Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians

Median pay
$35,443
Employment outlook
+2.2%

Animal Control Workers

Median pay
$45,656
Employment outlook
+7.3%

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

Median pay
$74,243
Employment outlook
+6.1%