Firefighter/medic demographics and statistics in the US
Firefighter/medic demographics research summary. Zippia estimates firefighter/medic demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our firefighter/medic estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about firefighter/medics after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 7,408 firefighter/medics currently employed in the United States.
- 18.1% of all firefighter/medics are women, while 81.9% are men.
- The average firefighter/medic age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of firefighter/medics is White (67.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.1%), Black or African American (7.3%) and Unknown (5.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 8% of all firefighter/medics are LGBT.
- Firefighter/medics are 55% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Firefighter/medic demographics by:
Firefighter/medic gender statistics
18.1% of firefighter/medics are women and 81.9% of firefighter/medics are men.
- Male, 81.9%
- Female, 18.1%
Firefighter/medic gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.9% |
| Female | 18.1% |
Firefighter/medic gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$54,308
Female income
$52,947
Firefighter/medic gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in firefighter/medic positions over time. Currently, 18.1% of firefighter/medics are female.
Firefighter/medic gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.76% | 15.24% |
| 2011 | 84.94% | 15.06% |
| 2012 | 84.46% | 15.54% |
| 2013 | 83.68% | 16.32% |
| 2014 | 85.27% | 14.73% |
| 2015 | 85.14% | 14.86% |
| 2016 | 83.53% | 16.47% |
| 2017 | 82.93% | 17.07% |
| 2018 | 81.89% | 18.11% |
| 2019 | 82.00% | 18.00% |
| 2020 | 81.33% | 18.67% |
| 2021 | 81.89% | 18.11% |
Firefighter/medic related jobs gender ratio
We compared firefighter/medics with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, guitar technician and armorer technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Radiographer, Mammographer | 2% | 98% |
| Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Lead Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Firefighter/Medic | 82% | 18% |
| Driver/Technician | 93% | 7% |
| Armorer Technician | 95% | 5% |
| Guitar Technician | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Firefighter/medic demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among firefighter/medics is White, which makes up 67.8% of all firefighter/medics. Comparatively, 14.1% of firefighter/medics are Hispanic or Latino and 7.3% of firefighter/medics are Black or African American.
- White, 67.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.1%
- Black or African American, 7.3%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- Asian, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Firefighter/medic race
| Firefighter/medic race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.1% |
| Black or African American | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| Asian | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Firefighter/medic race and ethnicity over time
See how firefighter/medic racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Firefighter/medic race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.76% | 7.26% | 2.13% | 11.97% |
| 2011 | 75.30% | 7.68% | 1.69% | 12.19% |
| 2012 | 76.40% | 7.20% | 1.62% | 11.57% |
| 2013 | 75.41% | 7.13% | 2.73% | 11.63% |
| 2014 | 75.99% | 7.86% | 2.61% | 10.29% |
| 2015 | 73.69% | 8.25% | 3.23% | 12.11% |
| 2016 | 72.91% | 8.49% | 2.80% | 12.42% |
| 2017 | 72.80% | 7.86% | 2.76% | 13.26% |
| 2018 | 71.91% | 7.20% | 3.28% | 13.51% |
| 2019 | 72.26% | 7.70% | 3.61% | 13.16% |
| 2020 | 69.81% | 7.02% | 3.78% | 13.29% |
| 2021 | 67.77% | 7.33% | 4.64% | 14.09% |
Firefighter/medic wage gap by race
According to our data, asian firefighter/medics have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown firefighter/medics have the lowest average salary at $53,661.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $53,661 |
| White | $54,329 |
| Black or African American | $53,934 |
| Asian | $54,999 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $54,626 |
Average firefighter/medic age
See how the average age of firefighter/medics varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Firefighter/medic age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 30 | 35.5 |
| White | 36 | 34 |
| Black or African American | 33 | 31 |
| Asian | 31.5 | 32 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 | 29 |
Firefighter/medic age breakdown
The average age of firefighter/medics is 40+ years years old, representing 35% of the firefighter/medic population.
Firefighter/medic age breakdown
| Firefighter/Medic Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 35% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 33% |
Firefighter/medic educational attainment
The most common degree for firefighter/medics is bachelor's degree, with 35% of firefighter/medics earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 33% and associate degree degree at 17%.
- Bachelor's, 35%
- Associate, 33%
- High School Diploma, 17%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Firefighter/medics by degree level
| Firefighter/medic degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| Associate | 33% |
| High School Diploma | 17% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Firefighter/medic jobs you might like
Firefighter/medic wage gap by degree level
According to the data, firefighter/medics with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $53,399 annually. With a Associate degree, firefighter/medics earn a median annual income of $52,602 compared to $50,019 for firefighter/medics with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,019 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,399 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $52,602 |
Firefighter/medic employment statistics
Most firefighter/medics work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where firefighter/medics work
Below, you can see the size of companies where firefighter/medics work.
Firefighter/medic jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 35% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 15% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Firefighter/medic jobs by company type
Employees with the firefighter/medic job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most firefighter/medics prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Firefighter/medic jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 36% |
| Government | 55% |
Firefighter/medic jobs by industry
The most common industries for firefighter/medics are government, health care and manufacturing.
Firefighter/medic industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 53% |
| Health Care | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Education | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Firefighter/medic turnover and employment statistics
Firefighter/medic unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for firefighter/medics between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Firefighter/medic unemployment rate by year
| Year | Firefighter/medic unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.80% |
| 2011 | 3.17% |
| 2012 | 4.06% |
| 2013 | 3.41% |
| 2014 | 3.55% |
| 2015 | 1.97% |
| 2016 | 1.64% |
| 2017 | 2.14% |
| 2018 | 1.91% |
| 2019 | 1.87% |
| 2020 | 2.45% |
| 2021 | 1.95% |
Average firefighter/medic tenure
The average firefighter/medic stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 432 firefighter/medics resumes in Zippia's database.
Firefighter/medic tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 6% |
| 1-2 years | 20% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 24% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 25% |
Firefighter/medic LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of firefighter/medics 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reprographics Technician | 5.02% | 47,234 |
| Senior Clinical Laboratory Scientist | 8.24% | 134,639 |
| Firefighter/Medic | 8.30% | - |
| Certified Coding Specialist | 9.29% | 62,432 |
| Ophthalmic Dispenser | 12.53% | 3,326 |
| Surgical Scrub Technician | 12.80% | 40,168 |
| Nuclear Medicine Internship | 21.93% | 59,100 |
Similar firefighter/medic jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Reprographics Technician | 5.02% | 47,234 |
| Senior Clinical Laboratory Scientist | 8.24% | 134,639 |
| Certified Coding Specialist | 9.29% | 62,432 |
| Ophthalmic Dispenser | 12.53% | 3,326 |
| Surgical Scrub Technician | 12.80% | 40,168 |
| Nuclear Medicine Internship | 21.93% | 59,100 |
Foreign languages spoken by firefighter/medics
The most common foreign language among firefighter/medics is Spanish at 40.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 20.0% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 10.0%.
- Spanish, 40.0%
- German, 20.0%
- Portuguese, 10.0%
- French, 10.0%
- Dutch, 10.0%
- Other, 10.0%
Firefighter/medic languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 40.0% |
| German | 20.0% |
| Portuguese | 10.0% |
| French | 10.0% |
| Dutch | 10.0% |
| Other | 10.0% |
