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The differences between company commanders and fire chiefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a company commander and a fire chief. Additionally, a company commander has an average salary of $109,257, which is higher than the $69,961 average annual salary of a fire chief.
The top three skills for a company commander include logistical support, combat and professional development. The most important skills for a fire chief are fire protection, emergency response, and public safety.
| Company Commander | Fire Chief | |
| Yearly salary | $109,257 | $69,961 |
| Hourly rate | $52.53 | $33.64 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 10,155 | 16,088 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Associate Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
In the military, a company commander serves as the commanding officer to a unit of soldiers. They are primarily in charge of overseeing every soldiers' performance and the overall company's daily progress, taking responsibility for every activity and outcome. As a company commander, they have to set goals and schedules, establish discipline and order among every member, delegate tasks and responsibilities, and ensure their welfare. Moreover, they facilitate training to sharpen the company's skills in different fields.
A Fire Chief's responsibility is to maintain the fire station's efficient response, the working order of all equipment, and all staff's readiness. They meet with the fire board to discuss the safety directives for the community. The Fire Chief's responsibility to the community is to ensure the area, provide a speedy response during emergencies, and offer the community the security they need against devastating fires. It is also required for them to have constant communication with the community and inform them of all policies relating to fire prevention.
Company commanders and fire chiefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Company Commander | Fire Chief | |
| Average salary | $109,257 | $69,961 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $152,000 | Between $40,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | CVR Energy |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a company commander and a fire chief in terms of educational background:
| Company Commander | Fire Chief | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Associate Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Fire Science And Protection |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between company commanders' and fire chiefs' demographics:
| Company Commander | Fire Chief | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.0% Female, 12.0% | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 2.3% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 2.3% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |