Fire chief vs fire department battalion chief

The differences between fire chiefs and fire department battalion 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 fire chief and a fire department battalion chief. Additionally, a fire chief has an average salary of $69,961, which is higher than the $53,709 average annual salary of a fire department battalion chief.

The top three skills for a fire chief include fire protection, emergency response and public safety. The most important skills for a fire department battalion chief are emergency response, , and .

Fire chief vs fire department battalion chief overview

	Fire Chief	Fire Department Battalion Chief
Yearly salary	$69,961	$53,709
Hourly rate	$33.64	$25.82
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	16,088	44,526
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	Associate Degree, 43%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	8	8

Fire chief vs fire department battalion chief salary

Fire chiefs and fire department battalion chiefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fire Chief	Fire Department Battalion Chief
Average salary	$69,961	$53,709
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $121,000	Between $37,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	Sacramento, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	CVR Energy	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between fire chief and fire department battalion chief education

There are a few differences between a fire chief and a fire department battalion chief in terms of educational background:

	Fire Chief	Fire Department Battalion Chief
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	Associate Degree, 43%
Most common major	Fire Science And Protection	Fire Science And Protection
Most common college	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	Lewis University

Fire chief vs fire department battalion chief demographics

Here are the differences between fire chiefs' and fire department battalion chiefs' demographics:

	Fire Chief	Fire Department Battalion Chief
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8%	Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.4% Asian, 2.1% White, 81.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between fire chief and fire department battalion chief duties and responsibilities

Fire chief example responsibilities.

Manage the combat logistics operations center's daily operations and ensure efficient information flow between internal and external organizations.
Determine appropriate control techniques and direct firefighting teams during numerous fire, hazardous material releases and medical emergencies.
Respond to fires, medical, HAZMAT, bombs and threat calls.
Maintain and inspect the SCBA equipment.
Conduct departmental assessments in accordance with DoD, standards.
Provide emergency medical care including first-aid and CPR to victims.

Fire department battalion chief example responsibilities.

Manage the combat logistics operations center's daily operations and ensure efficient information flow between internal and external organizations.
Coordinate training with grind combat elements enablers in support of battalion operations.
Oversee burning and welding operations to ensure the safety of Chrysler's personal and property.

Fire chief vs fire department battalion chief skills

Common fire chief skills

Fire Protection, 10%
Emergency Response, 8%
Public Safety, 8%
Fire Service, 5%
Fire Suppression, 5%
Emergency Services, 4%

Common fire department battalion chief skills

Emergency Response, 100%

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Fire Chief
Fire Chief vs Fire Department Battalion Chief

Updated January 8, 2025

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