Fire equipment operator demographics and statistics in the US
Fire equipment operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates fire equipment operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our fire equipment operator 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 equipment operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 5,598 fire equipment operators currently employed in the United States.
- 7.1% of all fire equipment operators are women, while 92.9% are men.
- The average fire equipment operator age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of fire equipment operators is White (69.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.0%), Black or African American (8.5%) and Unknown (4.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 3% of all fire equipment operators are LGBT.
- Fire equipment operators are 45% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Fire equipment operator demographics by:
Fire equipment operator gender statistics
7.1% of fire equipment operators are women and 92.9% of fire equipment operators are men.
- Male, 92.9%
- Female, 7.1%
Fire equipment operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 92.9% |
| Female | 7.1% |
Fire equipment operator gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$34,956
Female income
$32,361
Fire equipment operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in fire equipment operator positions over time. Currently, 7.1% of fire equipment operators are female.
Fire equipment operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 93.46% | 6.54% |
| 2011 | 92.32% | 7.68% |
| 2012 | 92.47% | 7.53% |
| 2013 | 91.86% | 8.14% |
| 2014 | 94.61% | 5.39% |
| 2015 | 90.25% | 9.75% |
| 2016 | 91.49% | 8.51% |
| 2017 | 92.66% | 7.34% |
| 2018 | 93.83% | 6.17% |
| 2019 | 93.49% | 6.51% |
| 2020 | 92.28% | 7.72% |
| 2021 | 92.86% | 7.14% |
Fire equipment operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared fire equipment operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, fire observer and cannon fire direction specialist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Prevention Specialist | 33% | 67% |
| Fire Equipment Operator | 93% | 7% |
| Driver Engineer | 96% | 4% |
| Cannon Fire Direction Specialist | 96% | 4% |
| Fire Observer | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Fire equipment operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among fire equipment operators is White, which makes up 69.0% of all fire equipment operators. Comparatively, 15.0% of fire equipment operators are Hispanic or Latino and 8.5% of fire equipment operators are Black or African American.
- White, 69.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.0%
- Black or African American, 8.5%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- Asian, 1.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Fire equipment operator race
| Fire equipment operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 69.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.0% |
| Black or African American | 8.5% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| Asian | 1.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Fire equipment operator race and ethnicity over time
See how fire equipment operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Fire equipment operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.23% | 8.79% | 1.31% | 12.26% |
| 2011 | 74.88% | 8.03% | 1.51% | 11.74% |
| 2012 | 74.70% | 8.45% | 0.94% | 11.92% |
| 2013 | 74.01% | 7.57% | 1.25% | 12.53% |
| 2014 | 73.51% | 7.89% | 1.89% | 11.96% |
| 2015 | 74.01% | 8.56% | 1.55% | 11.94% |
| 2016 | 74.03% | 8.41% | 1.35% | 12.26% |
| 2017 | 72.98% | 7.93% | 1.25% | 13.71% |
| 2018 | 72.29% | 8.07% | 1.57% | 13.76% |
| 2019 | 74.89% | 7.28% | 1.88% | 13.28% |
| 2020 | 72.63% | 7.06% | 1.76% | 11.61% |
| 2021 | 68.95% | 8.46% | 1.87% | 15.00% |
Fire equipment operator wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino fire equipment operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian fire equipment operators have the lowest average salary at $32,032.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,664 |
| White | $36,700 |
| Black or African American | $32,573 |
| Asian | $32,032 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,214 |
Average fire equipment operator age
See how the average age of fire equipment operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Fire equipment operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 37.5 | 30 |
| Unknown | 38 | |
| Asian | 40 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 40 |
| White | 39 | 37 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 36 |
Fire equipment operator age breakdown
The average age of fire equipment operators is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the fire equipment operator population.
Fire equipment operator age breakdown
| Fire Equipment Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 37% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Fire equipment operator educational attainment
The most common degree for fire equipment operators is associate degree, with 41% of fire equipment operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 26% and bachelor's degree degree at 22%.
- Associate, 41%
- Bachelor's, 26%
- High School Diploma, 22%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Fire equipment operators by degree level
| Fire equipment operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 41% |
| Bachelor's | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 22% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Fire equipment operator jobs you might like
Fire equipment operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, fire equipment operators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $41,512 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, fire equipment operators earn a median annual income of $40,992 compared to $38,091 for fire equipment operators with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $41,512 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,194 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,992 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,091 |
Fire equipment operator employment statistics
Most fire equipment operators work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where fire equipment operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where fire equipment operators work.
Fire equipment operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 26% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 9% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 13% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Fire equipment operator jobs by company type
Employees with the fire equipment operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most fire equipment operators prefer to work at government companies over public companies.
Fire equipment operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 25% |
| Private | 25% |
| Government | 45% |
Fire equipment operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for fire equipment operators are government, manufacturing and media.
Fire equipment operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 35% |
| Manufacturing | 19% |
| Fortune 500 | 12% |
| Media | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Education | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Finance | 4% |
Fire equipment operator turnover and employment statistics
Fire equipment operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for fire equipment operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fire equipment operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Fire equipment operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.88% |
| 2011 | 3.10% |
| 2012 | 2.78% |
| 2013 | 2.98% |
| 2014 | 2.13% |
| 2015 | 2.46% |
| 2016 | 1.95% |
| 2017 | 1.87% |
| 2018 | 1.53% |
| 2019 | 1.06% |
| 2020 | 2.13% |
| 2021 | 1.45% |
Average fire equipment operator tenure
The average fire equipment operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 93 fire equipment operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Fire equipment operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 21% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 25% |
Fire equipment operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of fire equipment operators 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 Equipment Operator | 3.06% | - |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 5.54% | 62,658 |
| Lifeguard Supervisor | 5.88% | 4,311 |
| Security Forces Member | 6.63% | 83,714 |
| Correctional Sergeant | 8.48% | 72,839 |
| Security Screener | 9.37% | 45,041 |
| Chief Arson Division | 11.81% | 13,773 |
Similar fire equipment operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 5.54% | 62,658 |
| Lifeguard Supervisor | 5.88% | 4,311 |
| Security Forces Member | 6.63% | 83,714 |
| Correctional Sergeant | 8.48% | 72,839 |
| Security Screener | 9.37% | 45,041 |
| Chief Arson Division | 11.81% | 13,773 |
Foreign languages spoken by fire equipment operators
- Spanish, 100.0%
Fire equipment operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 100.0% |