If you are considering firefighting as a career or you are just curious about this very important job, you might be wondering how much firefighters earn. Determining how much money firemen can be complicated. A number of factors like location, experience and number of hours worked all factor into the amount each firefighter makes. While the amount firefighters makes varies significantly, this guide will give you some basic information about firemen pay.
Basic Pay
The national base pay for firefighters averages around $47,000 per year, with the bottom of the scale falling around $23,000 and the top around $75,000. Pay varies significantly by state. Some top paying states for firefighters include New Jersey, California, Washington and New York. These states average between $60,000 and $70,000 per year.
Firefighter pay also varies by city. Not surprisingly, larger cities land at the top of the list of highest paying areas for firemen. Metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, Washington DC and Chicago are among the highest paying areas for firefighters.
Benefits
When considering firefighter pay, you must also look at what benefits firefighters receive on top of their base pay. Firefighting is a hazardous job and the base pay may not seem like enough in some cases, but other benefits must be considered when examining how much money firemen make.
Firefighters typically receive health and dental insurance, vacation and sick pay, and a pension plan for most firefighters. These important benefits can add up to a lot and mean that the base salary is actually worth much more for most firefighters.
How to make extra money
There are several ways to make extra money as a firefighter. Many firefighters work overtime, especially during special circumstances like wildfires or other emergencies. Fireman must be paid overtime for these extra hours, and overtime can add up to quite a bit of extra money.
This career also offers several opportunities for advancement that mean more pay. In order to advance in this career, firefighters must prove themselves through experience and receive positive reviews. Additional training on techniques and new equipment is also necessary. Firefighters must also pass both written and hands on examinations to advance to higher levels. Some possible levels firemen can advance to are Lieutenant and Captain, among others. The highest possible level is Chief; it can be difficult to advance to the highest levels.
Besides showing good performance and completing training in new techniques regularly, those with a goal in mind of advancing to Chief should consider obtaining an Associates or a Bachelor’s degree. Many departments now require a degree for the highest positions.
The Bottom Line
If you are wondering, ‘how much money do fireman make?’, it is possible that you are considering a career in this important, challenging and hopefully rewarding career. Firefighting is a necessary job for public safety; so the need for firemen will always be there, making the job outlook pretty good for this job.
Highly sought after benefits like good health coverage and a pension mean that these positions can be highly sought after and competitive. It might take some time and effort to land a job, and once you have a job it is important to do well and keep up with training in order to stay competitive and advance.
Firefighters are paid fairly well and receive attractive benefits, but the most important reason to become a firefighter is the desire to do an important job and have a huge impact on public safety. Firefighters risk their lives for the safety of others, and no amount of pay is worth that unless you truly want to do it and feel that it is the best job for you.
