Fire fighter vs fire engine operator

The differences between fire fighters and fire engine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fire fighter has an average salary of $56,792, which is higher than the $43,390 average annual salary of a fire engine operator.

The top three skills for a fire fighter include CPR, public safety and non-emergency calls. The most important skills for a fire engine operator are CDL, crew safety, and firefighting.

Fire fighter vs fire engine operator overview

	Fire Fighter	Fire Engine Operator
Yearly salary	$56,792	$43,390
Hourly rate	$27.30	$20.86
Growth rate	6%	4%
Number of jobs	3,398	30,743
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	49	39
Years of experience	8	-

Fire fighter vs fire engine operator salary

Fire fighters and fire engine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fire Fighter	Fire Engine Operator
Average salary	$56,792	$43,390
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $89,000	Between $28,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	East Chicago, IN	-
Highest paying state	Indiana	-
Best paying company	1 8 3 Lanes	-
Best paying industry	Technology	-

Differences between fire fighter and fire engine operator education

There are a few differences between a fire fighter and a fire engine operator in terms of educational background:

	Fire Fighter	Fire Engine Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Fire Science And Protection	Fire Science And Protection
Most common college	-	-

Fire fighter vs fire engine operator demographics

Here are the differences between fire fighters' and fire engine operators' demographics:

	Fire Fighter	Fire Engine Operator
Average age	49	39
Gender ratio	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%	Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7%
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, 7.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 1.9% White, 69.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	3%

Differences between fire fighter and fire engine operator duties and responsibilities

Fire fighter example responsibilities.

Lead infantry teams in combat operations, providing tactical and technical guidance to subordinates and professional support to superiors.
Administer medical care to injure people, providing CPR, first aid, as well as other emergency responses.
Task with testing SCBA, centrifugal pump systems, foam induction systems, structural gear inspections and HAZMAT equipment.
Cut and clear brush, dig trenches in order to create fire lines, using axes, chainsaws or shovels.
Maintain SCBA equipment and records.
Serve as paramedic on ALS transport ambulance.

Fire engine operator example responsibilities.

Develop and implement a comprehensive physical training program to enhance the ability of crewmembers to perform their require arduous firefighting duties.
Utilize optimum use of firefighting and first-aid techniques following proper safety protocols.
Fire apparatus operator and driver.

Fire fighter vs fire engine operator skills

Common fire fighter skills

CPR, 7%
Public Safety, 7%
Non-Emergency Calls, 6%
Fire Prevention, 5%
Fire Suppression, 4%
Hazmat, 4%

Common fire engine operator skills

CDL, 20%
Crew Safety, 20%
Firefighting, 9%
Portable Pumps, 7%
Fire Behavior, 6%
Incident Command System, 6%

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Fire Fighter
Fire Fighter vs Fire Engine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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