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Firefighter salary in Texas

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$60,180median pay per year in Texas, or $28.94 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,020lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,68025th percentile
  3. $60,180median
  4. $71,98075th percentile
  5. $77,170top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $59,280[3]

The median pay for firefighters in Texas was $60,180 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $900 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
28,170[4]
Rank by median pay
17 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+1.5%[6]

How much do firefighters make in Texas?

Half of the firefighters in Texas earned more than $60,180 a year, or $28.94 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was close, at $60,390 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for firefighters was $59,280, so Texas came in $900 (1.5%) higher[3][6]. Texas had the 17th highest median for firefighters out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5].

Against all jobs in Texas, firefighters did better. The median for all occupations in the state was $48,620[8], and firefighters earned $11,560 more[9]. The lowest-paid 10% of firefighters earned less than $40,020, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $77,170[2].

By metro area, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the most firefighter jobs, 8,780, with a median of $64,900[10]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had a median of $59,120[10]. Among the 22 Texas metro areas with a published median, Abilene paid the most, at $78,380[11]. These figures count wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Texas vs US pay

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

TXUS
Median per year$60,180[1]$59,280[3]
Median per hour$28.94[1]$28.50[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$40,020[2]$34,910[13]
Top 10% earn more than$77,170[2]$101,040[13]
Jobs28,170[4]345,990[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for firefighters, and the median pay in each[10].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[10]$64,9008,780
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$59,1205,780
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$63,3602,910
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$58,8302,300
Corpus Christi, TX$48,700670
El Paso, TX$50,300660
Killeen-Temple, TX$57,660440
Laredo, TX$59,100430

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oklahoma[14]$49,7104,150
New Mexico$41,5902,420
Arkansas$39,6902,480
Louisiana$33,1205,230

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 Texas?
The median pay for firefighters in Texas was $60,180 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,020 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $77,170[2].
How much does a firefighter make an hour in Texas?
The median hourly wage for firefighters in Texas was $28.94[1]. At the 10th percentile the wage was $19.24 an hour, and at the 90th it was $37.10[17].
Which city in Texas pays firefighters the most?
Among the 22 Texas metro areas with a published median, Abilene had the highest median, $78,380 a year[11]. Of the metro areas with the most firefighter jobs, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington led at $64,900[10].
Is Texas a good state for firefighters?
Texas had the 17th highest median annual wage for firefighters out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median of $60,180 was $900 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a firefighter in Texas?
This is a US figure, not a Texas one. Across the US, the typical path into the job is a postsecondary nondegree award, no work experience in a related occupation, and long-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Firefighters in Texas was $60,180 per year and $28.94 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 Texas: 10th percentile $40,020, 25th percentile $48,680, 75th percentile $71,980, 90th percentile $77,170. 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 28,170 people worked as Firefighters in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 17th highest median annual wage for Firefighters out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in Texas ($60,180) was $900 (1.5%) higher than the US median ($59,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Firefighters in Texas was $60,390 per year and $29.04 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in Texas was $11,560 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 22 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Firefighters, Abilene, TX had the highest median annual wage, $78,380. 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 Texas (highest first): Oklahoma $49,710; New Mexico $41,590; Arkansas $39,690; Louisiana $33,120. 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 Texas: 10th percentile $19.24, 25th percentile $23.41, 75th percentile $34.61, 90th percentile $37.10. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. 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.