Fire chief demographics and statistics in the US
Fire chief demographics research summary. Zippia estimates fire chief demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our fire chief estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about fire chiefs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 22,316 fire chiefs currently employed in the United States.
- 5.8% of all fire chiefs are women, while 94.2% are men.
- The average fire chief age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of fire chiefs is White (76.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (8.2%), Unknown (5.9%) and Black or African American (5.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 7% of all fire chiefs are LGBT.
- Fire chiefs are 42% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Fire chief demographics by:
Fire chief gender statistics
5.8% of fire chiefs are women and 94.2% of fire chiefs are men.
- Male, 94.2%
- Female, 5.8%
Fire chief gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 94.2% |
| Female | 5.8% |
Fire chief gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$73,725
Female income
$71,539
Fire chief gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in fire chief positions over time. Currently, 5.8% of fire chiefs are female.
Fire chief gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 92.20% | 7.80% |
| 2011 | 95.76% | 4.24% |
| 2012 | 95.40% | 4.60% |
| 2013 | 91.94% | 8.06% |
| 2014 | 92.79% | 7.21% |
| 2015 | 95.43% | 4.57% |
| 2016 | 94.06% | 5.94% |
| 2017 | 94.59% | 5.41% |
| 2018 | 92.56% | 7.44% |
| 2019 | 95.01% | 4.99% |
| 2020 | 93.58% | 6.42% |
| 2021 | 94.24% | 5.76% |
Fire chief related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Chief | 94% | 6% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Fire chief demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among fire chiefs is White, which makes up 76.8% of all fire chiefs. Comparatively, 8.2% of fire chiefs are Hispanic or Latino and 5.9% of fire chiefs are Unknown.
- White, 76.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.2%
- Unknown, 5.9%
- Black or African American, 5.8%
- Asian, 2.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Fire chief race
| Fire chief race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 76.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.2% |
| Unknown | 5.9% |
| Black or African American | 5.8% |
| Asian | 2.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Fire chief race and ethnicity over time
See how fire chief racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Fire chief race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.15% | 8.57% | 0.81% | 7.86% |
| 2011 | 80.99% | 7.70% | 0.50% | 7.46% |
| 2012 | 82.78% | 7.60% | 1.27% | 5.08% |
| 2013 | 81.83% | 6.60% | 1.24% | 6.94% |
| 2014 | 80.68% | 7.93% | 1.66% | 6.41% |
| 2015 | 81.61% | 6.09% | 0.65% | 8.32% |
| 2016 | 79.59% | 7.69% | 1.32% | 8.44% |
| 2017 | 81.50% | 6.61% | 1.09% | 6.95% |
| 2018 | 82.46% | 6.07% | 1.11% | 6.90% |
| 2019 | 82.98% | 5.70% | 0.76% | 6.43% |
| 2020 | 81.13% | 5.12% | 0.79% | 6.01% |
| 2021 | 76.77% | 5.81% | 2.26% | 8.21% |
Fire chief wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino fire chiefs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White fire chiefs have the lowest average salary at $69,267.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $72,589 |
| White | $69,267 |
| Black or African American | $73,603 |
| Asian | $72,109 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $81,618 |
Average fire chief age
See how the average age of fire chiefs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Fire chief age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 48 | |
| White | 50 | |
| Asian | 45 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 47.5 |
Fire chief age breakdown
The average age of fire chiefs is 40+ years years old, representing 89% of the fire chief population.
Fire chief age breakdown
| Fire Chief Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 89% |
| 30-40 years | 11% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Fire chief educational attainment
The most common degree for fire chiefs is associate degree, with 37% of fire chiefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 35% and bachelor's degree degree at 14%.
- Associate, 37%
- Bachelor's, 35%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Fire chiefs by degree level
| Fire chief degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 37% |
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| High School Diploma | 14% |
| Master's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Fire chief jobs you might like
Fire chief wage gap by degree level
According to the data, fire chiefs with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $87,811 annually. With a Associate degree, fire chiefs earn a median annual income of $73,284 compared to $64,248 for fire chiefs with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $64,248 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $87,811 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $73,284 |
Fire chief employment statistics
Most fire chiefs work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where fire chiefs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where fire chiefs work.
Fire chief jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 15% |
| > 10,000 employees | 19% |
Fire chief jobs by company type
Employees with the fire chief job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most fire chiefs prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Fire chief jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 39% |
| Government | 42% |
Fire chief jobs by industry
The most common industries for fire chiefs are government, technology and manufacturing.
Fire chief industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 40% |
| Technology | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Education | 5% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Fire chief turnover and employment statistics
Fire chief unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for fire chiefs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fire chief unemployment rate by year
| Year | Fire chief unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.07% |
| 2011 | 2.15% |
| 2012 | 1.93% |
| 2013 | 0.92% |
| 2014 | 1.21% |
| 2015 | 1.01% |
| 2016 | 0.57% |
| 2017 | 0.37% |
| 2018 | 0.79% |
| 2019 | 0.36% |
| 2020 | 0.24% |
| 2021 | 1.83% |
Average fire chief tenure
The average fire chief stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,110 fire chiefs resumes in Zippia's database.
Fire chief tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 7% |
| 1-2 years | 21% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 33% |
Fire chief LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of fire chiefs that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Chief | 6.87% | - |
| Captain Of Guards | 6.90% | 4,338 |
| Precinct Police Captain | 10.94% | 4,673 |
| Correctional Officer Lieutenant | 18.30% | 55,981 |
Similar fire chief jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Of Guards | 6.90% | 4,338 |
| Precinct Police Captain | 10.94% | 4,673 |
| Correctional Officer Lieutenant | 18.30% | 55,981 |
Foreign languages spoken by fire chiefs
The most common foreign language among fire chiefs is Spanish at 40.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 20.0% and Korean is the third-most popular at 15.0%.
- Spanish, 40.0%
- German, 20.0%
- Korean, 15.0%
- French, 10.0%
- Dutch, 5.0%
- Other, 10.0%
Fire chief languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 40.0% |
| German | 20.0% |
| Korean | 15.0% |
| French | 10.0% |
| Dutch | 5.0% |
| Other | 10.0% |
