Firefighter/paramedic demographics and statistics in the US
Firefighter/paramedic demographics research summary. Zippia estimates firefighter/paramedic demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our firefighter/paramedic 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/paramedics after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 41,157 firefighter/paramedics currently employed in the United States.
- 14.8% of all firefighter/paramedics are women, while 85.2% are men.
- The average firefighter/paramedic age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of firefighter/paramedics is White (67.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.1%), Black or African American (6.4%) and Unknown (5.5%).
- Firefighter/paramedics are most in-demand in Okemos, MI.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for firefighter/paramedics.
- 8% of all firefighter/paramedics are LGBT.
On this page
Firefighter/paramedic demographics by:
Firefighter/paramedic gender statistics
14.8% of firefighter/paramedics are women and 85.2% of firefighter/paramedics are men.
- Male, 85.2%
- Female, 14.8%
Firefighter/paramedic gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 85.2% |
| Female | 14.8% |
Firefighter/paramedic gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$55,171
Female income
$53,753
Firefighter/paramedic gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in firefighter/paramedic positions over time. Currently, 14.8% of firefighter/paramedics are female.
Firefighter/paramedic gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 87.64% | 12.36% |
| 2011 | 87.78% | 12.22% |
| 2012 | 87.39% | 12.61% |
| 2013 | 86.73% | 13.27% |
| 2014 | 88.06% | 11.94% |
| 2015 | 87.95% | 12.05% |
| 2016 | 86.61% | 13.39% |
| 2017 | 86.09% | 13.91% |
| 2018 | 85.22% | 14.78% |
| 2019 | 85.31% | 14.69% |
| 2020 | 84.74% | 15.26% |
| 2021 | 85.21% | 14.79% |
Firefighter/paramedic related jobs gender ratio
We compared firefighter/paramedics 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/Paramedic | 85% | 15% |
| 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/paramedic demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among firefighter/paramedics is White, which makes up 67.7% of all firefighter/paramedics. Comparatively, 15.1% of firefighter/paramedics are Hispanic or Latino and 6.4% of firefighter/paramedics are Black or African American.
- White, 67.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.1%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Unknown, 5.5%
- Asian, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Firefighter/paramedic race
| Firefighter/paramedic race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.1% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 5.5% |
| Asian | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Firefighter/paramedic race and ethnicity over time
See how firefighter/paramedic racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Firefighter/paramedic race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.68% | 6.35% | 1.98% | 12.99% |
| 2011 | 75.23% | 6.78% | 1.53% | 13.21% |
| 2012 | 76.33% | 6.30% | 1.46% | 12.59% |
| 2013 | 75.34% | 6.23% | 2.58% | 12.65% |
| 2014 | 75.92% | 6.95% | 2.45% | 11.31% |
| 2015 | 73.62% | 7.35% | 3.07% | 13.12% |
| 2016 | 72.84% | 7.58% | 2.64% | 13.43% |
| 2017 | 72.73% | 6.95% | 2.61% | 14.27% |
| 2018 | 71.83% | 6.30% | 3.13% | 14.52% |
| 2019 | 72.19% | 6.79% | 3.45% | 14.18% |
| 2020 | 69.74% | 6.12% | 3.63% | 14.30% |
| 2021 | 67.69% | 6.42% | 4.49% | 15.10% |
Firefighter/paramedic wage gap by race
According to our data, asian firefighter/paramedics have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown firefighter/paramedics have the lowest average salary at $54,498.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $54,498 |
| White | $55,193 |
| Black or African American | $54,782 |
| Asian | $55,892 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,503 |
Average firefighter/paramedic age
See how the average age of firefighter/paramedics varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Firefighter/paramedic 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/paramedic age breakdown
The average age of firefighter/paramedics is 40+ years years old, representing 35% of the firefighter/paramedic population.
Firefighter/paramedic age breakdown
| Firefighter/Paramedic Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 35% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 33% |
Firefighter/paramedic educational attainment
The most common degree for firefighter/paramedics is associate degree, with 48% of firefighter/paramedics earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 32% and bachelor's degree degree at 6%.
- Associate, 48%
- Bachelor's, 32%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Firefighter/paramedics by degree level
| Firefighter/paramedic degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 48% |
| Bachelor's | 32% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Firefighter/paramedic jobs you might like
Firefighter/paramedic wage gap by degree level
According to the data, firefighter/paramedics with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $54,224 annually. With a Associate degree, firefighter/paramedics earn a median annual income of $53,394 compared to $50,705 for firefighter/paramedics with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,705 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,224 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $53,394 |
Firefighter/paramedic employment statistics
Most firefighter/paramedics work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where firefighter/paramedics work
Below, you can see the size of companies where firefighter/paramedics work.
Firefighter/paramedic jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 45% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 3% |
Firefighter/paramedic jobs by company type
Employees with the firefighter/paramedic job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most firefighter/paramedics prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Firefighter/paramedic jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 20% |
| Government | 76% |
Firefighter/paramedic jobs by industry
The most common industries for firefighter/paramedics are government, health care and professional.
Firefighter/paramedic industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 74% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Education | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Firefighter/paramedic turnover and employment statistics
Firefighter/paramedic unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for firefighter/paramedics between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Firefighter/paramedic unemployment rate by year
| Year | Firefighter/paramedic 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/paramedic tenure
The average firefighter/paramedic stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,910 firefighter/paramedics resumes in Zippia's database.
Firefighter/paramedic tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 6% |
| 1-2 years | 16% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 21% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 33% |
Firefighter/paramedic LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of firefighter/paramedics 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Darkroom Technician | 5.02% | 30,122 |
| Lead Laboratory Assistant | 8.24% | 40,766 |
| Firefighter/Paramedic | 8.30% | - |
| Records Supervisor | 9.29% | 3,569 |
| Certified Optician | 12.53% | 38,462 |
| Anesthesia Technician | 12.80% | 78,132 |
| Nuclear Cardiology Technologist | 21.93% | 48,928 |
Similar firefighter/paramedic jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Darkroom Technician | 5.02% | 30,122 |
| Lead Laboratory Assistant | 8.24% | 40,766 |
| Records Supervisor | 9.29% | 3,569 |
| Certified Optician | 12.53% | 38,462 |
| Anesthesia Technician | 12.80% | 78,132 |
| Nuclear Cardiology Technologist | 21.93% | 48,928 |
Foreign languages spoken by firefighter/paramedics
The most common foreign language among firefighter/paramedics is Spanish at 65.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.9% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 65.5%
- French, 6.9%
- Portuguese, 5.2%
- German, 5.2%
- Italian, 5.2%
- Other, 12.0%
Firefighter/paramedic languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.5% |
| French | 6.9% |
| Portuguese | 5.2% |
| German | 5.2% |
| Italian | 5.2% |
| Other | 12.0% |
