# Firefighters

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/firefighters
- SOC code: 33-2011.00
- Career family: Protective service
- Median annual pay: $59,280 (10th percentile $34,910, 90th percentile $101,040)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.7%
- Openings a year: 26,800
- Typical entry education: Postsecondary certificate
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 92 |
| Investigative (I) | 32 |
| Artistic (A) | 5 |
| Social (S) | 40 |
| Enterprising (E) | 34 |
| Conventional (C) | 41 |

## What you'd do

- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 84/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 82/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 79/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 78/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 77/100)
- Getting Information (importance 76/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 75/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 74/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 72/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 72/100)

## Skills

Coordination, Active Learning, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness

## Knowledge

Public Safety and Security, Transportation, Customer and Personal Service, Medicine and Dentistry, Mechanical, Communications and Media, Education and Training, Telecommunications, Building and Construction, Geography

## Also called

Airport Firefighter, Crash Fire Firefighter, Fire Apparatus Engineer, Fire Chief Aide, Fire Engine Pump Operator, Fire Engineer, Fire Equipment Operator, Fire Hydrant Operator, Fire Management Specialist, Fire Medic

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Fire Protection](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4302) (CIP 4302, 458 colleges)
- [Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0302) (CIP 0302, 204 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Anna Maria College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/anna-maria-college-82) | Fire Protection | $104,738 | $110,044 | $25,000 |
| [Southern Illinois University-Carbondale](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-illinois-university-carbondale-2495) | Fire Protection | $104,092 | $108,135 | not reported |
| [Waldorf University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/waldorf-university-3151) | Fire Protection | $104,691 | $100,060 | $20,251 |
| [Utah Valley University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/utah-valley-university-3103) | Fire Protection | $67,977 | $83,807 | $18,938 |
| [California State University-Bakersfield](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-bakersfield-364) | Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | not reported | $82,315 | not reported |
| [Eastern Kentucky University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/eastern-kentucky-university-866) | Fire Protection | $62,905 | $80,497 | $26,769 |
| [University of New Haven](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-new-haven-2981) | Fire Protection | $59,234 | $79,199 | $25,500 |
| [West Virginia University Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/west-virginia-university-main-campus-3219) | Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $59,962 | $75,022 | $22,313 |

## Related careers

- [First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-firefighting-and-prevention-workers): $93,530 median pay
- [Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/forest-fire-inspectors-and-prevention-specialists): $56,870 median pay
- [Fire Inspectors and Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fire-inspectors-and-investigators): $75,920 median pay
- [Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fire-prevention-and-protection-engineers): $115,160 median pay
- [Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/lifeguards-ski-patrol-and-other-recreational-protective-service-workers): $33,580 median pay
- [Emergency Medical Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-medical-technicians): $44,470 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.