CareerFacts

All careers › Firefighters › Washington

Firefighter salary in Washington

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$94,520median pay per year in Washington, or $45.44 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $47,640lowest 10% earn less
  2. $72,30025th percentile
  3. $94,520median
  4. $105,54075th percentile
  5. $123,980top 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 Washington was $94,520 a year in May 2025[1]. The US median was $59,280[3].

Jobs in WA
7,560[4]
Rank by median pay
2 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+59.4%[6]

How much do firefighters make in Washington?

The median is the middle point. Half of firefighters in Washington earned more than $94,520 a year, or $45.44 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was a bit lower, at $89,200 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for firefighters was $59,280[3]. Washington had the 2nd highest median for this job among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5].

The median for all jobs in Washington was $62,990[8]. Firefighters earned $31,530 more than that[9]. At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,640[2]. At the high end, the highest-paid 10% earned more than $123,980[2]. The middle half of firefighters earned between $72,300 and $105,540[2].

Among metro areas in or partly in Washington, Bellingham had the highest median at $101,130[10]. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue had the most firefighter jobs, with a median of $101,090[11]. Yakima had a median of $62,120[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers. It leaves out the self-employed, and its wages do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Washington vs US pay

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

WAUS
Median per year$94,520[1]$59,280[3]
Median per hour$45.44[1]$28.50[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$47,640[2]$34,910[13]
Top 10% earn more than$123,980[2]$101,040[13]
Jobs7,560[4]345,990[3]

Pay by metro area in Washington

Metro areas in Washington 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
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA[11]$101,0903,760
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$85,1701,730
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$83,310750
Yakima, WA$62,120410
Kennewick-Richland, WA$80,090360
Bellingham, WA$101,130320
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$95,910290
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$90,050260

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$70,9003,790
Idaho$47,3202,240

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 Washington?
The median pay for firefighters in Washington was $94,520 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $89,200 a year[7].
How much does a firefighter make an hour in Washington?
The median was $45.44 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $22.91 an hour and the 90th percentile was $59.61[17].
Which city in Washington pays firefighters the most?
Bellingham had the highest median among Washington metro areas, at $101,130 a year[10]. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue was close behind at $101,090[11].
Is Washington a good state for firefighters?
Washington had the 2nd highest median annual wage for firefighters out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 59.4% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a firefighter in Washington?
Across the US, the typical entry path is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no work experience in a related job and long-term on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not one for Washington.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Firefighters in Washington was $94,520 per year and $45.44 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 Washington: 10th percentile $47,640, 25th percentile $72,300, 75th percentile $105,540, 90th percentile $123,980. 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 7,560 people worked as Firefighters in Washington (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Washington had the 2nd 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 Washington ($94,520) was $35,240 (59.4%) higher than the US median ($59,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Firefighters in Washington was $89,200 per year and $42.88 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Washington was $62,990. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in Washington was $31,530 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($62,990). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 10 metro areas in or partly in Washington with a published median for Firefighters, Bellingham, WA had the highest median annual wage, $101,130. 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 Washington (highest first): Oregon $70,900; Idaho $47,320. 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 Washington: 10th percentile $22.91, 25th percentile $34.76, 75th percentile $50.74, 90th percentile $59.61. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Washington. 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.