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Job outlook for fire chiefs in the United States
Fire chief job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected fire chief job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 1,000 new jobs for fire chiefs are projected over the next decade.
Fire chief salaries have increased 6% for fire chiefs in the last 5 years.
There are over 22,316 fire chiefs currently employed in the United States.
There are 16,088 active fire chief job openings in the US.
The average fire chief salary is $69,961.
Are fire chief jobs in demand?
Yes, fire chief jobs are in demand. Fire chief demand is projected to grow 6% from 2018 to 2028.
Fire chief job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of fire chief jobs and the average fire chief salary over time.
Fire chief jobs over time
Fire chief job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,316 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 19,036 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 19,199 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 18,186 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 16,191 | 0.00% |
Average fire chief salary over time
Fire chief salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,961 | $33.64 | +1.4% |
| 2024 | $69,012 | $33.18 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $67,708 | $32.55 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | $67,566 | $32.48 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $66,120 | $31.79 | +3.2% |
Fire chief jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of fire chief job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where fire chiefs earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for fire chiefs
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 160 | 23% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 62 | 11% |
| 3 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 168 | 10% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 105 | 10% |
| 5 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 141 | 7% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 178 | 6% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 211 | 5% |
| 8 | Alaska | 739,795 | 38 | 5% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 360 | 4% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 300 | 4% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 290 | 4% |
| 12 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 253 | 4% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 113 | 4% |
| 14 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 107 | 4% |
| 15 | Delaware | 961,939 | 39 | 4% |
| 16 | Vermont | 623,657 | 24 | 4% |
| 17 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,098 | 3% |
| 18 | New York | 19,849,399 | 543 | 3% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 35 | 3% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 26 | 3% |
Most common cities for fire chiefs
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima | 1 | 3% | $57,452 |
| 2 | Kansas City | 1 | 1% | $60,425 |