Fire fighter demographics and statistics in the US
Fire fighter demographics research summary. Zippia estimates fire fighter demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our fire fighter 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 fighters after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 25,813 fire fighters currently employed in the United States.
- 18.1% of all fire fighters are women, while 81.9% are men.
- The average fire fighter age is 48 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of fire fighters is White (76.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (8.2%), Unknown (5.9%) and Black or African American (5.8%).
- Fire fighters are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- East Chicago, IN pays an annual average wage of $71,020, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women fire fighters earned 98% of what men earned.
- Idaho is the best state for fire fighters to live.
- Fire fighters are 56% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Fire fighter demographics by:
Fire fighter gender statistics
18.1% of fire fighters are women and 81.9% of fire fighters are men.
- Male, 81.9%
- Female, 18.1%
Fire fighter gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.9% |
| Female | 18.1% |
Fire fighter gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$59,312
Female income
$57,851
Fire fighter gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in fire fighter positions over time. Currently, 18.1% of fire fighters are female.
Fire fighter gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.54% | 23.46% |
| 2011 | 86.16% | 13.84% |
| 2012 | 85.13% | 14.87% |
| 2013 | 75.88% | 24.12% |
| 2014 | 78.03% | 21.97% |
| 2015 | 85.20% | 14.80% |
| 2016 | 81.38% | 18.62% |
| 2017 | 82.81% | 17.19% |
| 2018 | 77.43% | 22.57% |
| 2019 | 84.01% | 15.99% |
| 2020 | 80.07% | 19.93% |
| 2021 | 81.85% | 18.15% |
Fire fighter related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Fire Fighter | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Fire fighter demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among fire fighters is White, which makes up 76.8% of all fire fighters. Comparatively, 8.2% of fire fighters are Hispanic or Latino and 5.9% of fire fighters 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 fighter race
| Fire fighter 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 fighter race and ethnicity over time
See how fire fighter racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Fire fighter 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 | 81.00% | 7.69% | 0.50% | 7.45% |
| 2012 | 82.79% | 7.59% | 1.27% | 5.08% |
| 2013 | 81.83% | 6.60% | 1.24% | 6.94% |
| 2014 | 80.68% | 7.93% | 1.66% | 6.40% |
| 2015 | 81.62% | 6.09% | 0.65% | 8.32% |
| 2016 | 79.60% | 7.69% | 1.32% | 8.43% |
| 2017 | 81.51% | 6.60% | 1.09% | 6.95% |
| 2018 | 82.47% | 6.07% | 1.11% | 6.90% |
| 2019 | 82.98% | 5.70% | 0.76% | 6.43% |
| 2020 | 81.14% | 5.12% | 0.79% | 6.00% |
| 2021 | 76.78% | 5.81% | 2.26% | 8.21% |
Fire fighter wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino fire fighters have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White fire fighters have the lowest average salary at $56,325.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $58,554 |
| White | $56,325 |
| Black or African American | $59,231 |
| Asian | $58,233 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $64,527 |
Average fire fighter age
See how the average age of fire fighters varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Fire fighter age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 48 | |
| White | 50 | |
| Asian | 45 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 47.5 |
Fire fighter age breakdown
The average age of fire fighters is 40+ years years old, representing 89% of the fire fighter population.
Fire fighter age breakdown
| Fire Fighter Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 89% |
| 30-40 years | 11% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Fire fighter educational attainment
The most common degree for fire fighters is bachelor's degree, with 31% of fire fighters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 28% and associate degree degree at 26%.
- Bachelor's, 31%
- Associate, 28%
- High School Diploma, 26%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Fire fighters by degree level
| Fire fighter degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 31% |
| Associate | 28% |
| High School Diploma | 26% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Fire fighter jobs you might like
Fire fighter wage gap by degree level
According to the data, fire fighters with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $68,559 annually. With a Associate degree, fire fighters earn a median annual income of $59,018 compared to $52,921 for fire fighters with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $52,921 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $68,559 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $59,018 |
Fire fighter employment statistics
Most fire fighters work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where fire fighters work
Below, you can see the size of companies where fire fighters work.
Fire fighter jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 38% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 18% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Fire fighter jobs by company type
Employees with the fire fighter job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most fire fighters prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Fire fighter jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 8% |
| Private | 32% |
| Government | 56% |
Fire fighter jobs by industry
The most common industries for fire fighters are government, manufacturing and professional.
Fire fighter industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 53% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Utilities | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Fire fighter turnover and employment statistics
Fire fighter unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for fire fighters between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fire fighter unemployment rate by year
| Year | Fire fighter 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 fighter tenure
The average fire fighter stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,729 fire fighters resumes in Zippia's database.
Fire fighter tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 23% |
Fire fighter LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of fire fighters 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 Fighter | 6.87% | - |
| Roving Department Supervisor | 6.90% | 31,228 |
| Police Superintendent | 10.94% | 13,332 |
| Correction Officer Supervisor | 18.30% | 57,980 |
Similar fire fighter jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Roving Department Supervisor | 6.90% | 31,228 |
| Police Superintendent | 10.94% | 13,332 |
| Correction Officer Supervisor | 18.30% | 57,980 |
Foreign languages spoken by fire fighters
The most common foreign language among fire fighters is Spanish at 60.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.8% and German is the third-most popular at 7.4%.
- Spanish, 60.3%
- French, 11.8%
- German, 7.4%
- Portuguese, 2.9%
- Russian, 2.9%
- Other, 14.7%
Fire fighter languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.3% |
| French | 11.8% |
| German | 7.4% |
| Portuguese | 2.9% |
| Russian | 2.9% |
| Other | 14.7% |
