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Firefighter salary in New York

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$100,960median pay per year in New York, or $48.54 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $56,390lowest 10% earn less
  2. $65,42025th percentile
  3. $100,960median
  4. $106,43075th percentile
  5. $106,440top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $59,280[3]

Firefighters in New York earned a median wage of $100,960 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the highest firefighter median of any state with published data[5], and it was $41,680 above the US median[6].

Jobs in NY
12,950[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+70.3%[6]

How much do firefighters make in New York?

The median wage for firefighters in New York was $100,960 a year, or $48.54 an hour[1]. Half of the roughly 12,950 firefighters in the state earned more than that and half earned less[1][4]. The mean was lower, at $87,150 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for firefighters was $59,280[3], so the New York figure was 70.3% higher[6]. It was also $41,290 above the median for all jobs in New York[8], which was $59,670[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $56,390 a year, and the 25th percentile was $65,420[2]. At the top, the 75th and 90th percentiles sat almost side by side at $106,430 and $106,440[2].

By metro area, New York-Newark-Jersey City paid the highest median, $106,420[10]. Rochester came in at $89,120 and Binghamton at $81,810, while Syracuse was at $58,470[11]. Keep in mind that these figures only count people on a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, and they skip extras like nonproduction bonuses and the value of benefits such as health coverage or retirement plans[12].

New York vs US pay

Pay for firefighters in New York next to the national figures[1][3].

NYUS
Median per year$100,960[1]$59,280[3]
Median per hour$48.54[1]$28.50[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$56,390[2]$34,910[13]
Top 10% earn more than$106,440[2]$101,040[13]
Jobs12,950[4]345,990[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for firefighters, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[11]$106,42014,960
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$74,470820
Rochester, NY$89,120730
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$70,840480
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$76,120230
Syracuse, NY$58,470210
Utica-Rome, NY$75,060150
Binghamton, NY$81,810120

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for firefighters in the states that border New York, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Jersey[14]$84,1307,500
Connecticut$77,6302,970
Pennsylvania$73,4605,020
Massachusetts$72,80011,940
Vermont$46,430n/a

Median pay for firefighters in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for firefighters are projected to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a firefighter make in New York?
The median wage for firefighters in New York was $100,960 a year in May 2025[1]. The mean was $87,150 a year[7].
How much does a firefighter make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage for firefighters in New York was $48.54[1]. The 10th percentile was $27.11 an hour, and the 90th percentile was $51.17[17].
Which city in New York pays firefighters the most?
Among metro areas in or partly in New York, New York-Newark-Jersey City had the highest median for firefighters, $106,420 a year[10]. Rochester's median was $89,120[11].
Is New York a good state for firefighters?
On pay, New York ranked 1st out of 49 states and DC with a published median for firefighters[5]. Its median was $41,680 (70.3%) above the US median[6]. Among the states that border New York, New Jersey had the highest median, $84,130[14].
What do you need to become a firefighter in New York?
BLS data on this is a US figure, not a New York one. Across the US, the typical path is a postsecondary nondegree award plus long-term on-the-job training, with no related work experience needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Firefighters in New York was $100,960 per year and $48.54 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Firefighters in New York: 10th percentile $56,390, 25th percentile $65,420, 75th percentile $106,430, 90th percentile $106,440. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Firefighters in the US as a whole was $59,280 per year and $28.50 per hour, with about 345,990 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,950 people worked as Firefighters in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 1st highest median annual wage for Firefighters out of the 49 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in New York ($100,960) was $41,680 (70.3%) higher than the US median ($59,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Firefighters in New York was $87,150 per year and $41.90 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in New York was $41,290 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 9 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Firefighters, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage, $106,420. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Firefighters in the US: 10th percentile $34,910, 25th percentile $44,490, 75th percentile $77,250, 90th percentile $101,040. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Firefighters in states that border New York (highest first): New Jersey $84,130; Connecticut $77,630; Pennsylvania $73,460; Massachusetts $72,800; Vermont $46,430. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Firefighters is projected to grow 3.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 26,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Firefighters: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Firefighters in New York: 10th percentile $27.11, 25th percentile $31.45, 75th percentile $51.17, 90th percentile $51.17. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.