Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Firefighters vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss out-earn Firefighterss by $17K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Firefighterss land at $59,280 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss at $76,210. The education gap is real: firefighter programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Firefighterss is New York ($100,960); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss it's California ($118,880).

Firefighters
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$59,280
$76,210
Hourly rate
$28.5/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$34,910
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$101,040
$115,120
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
345,990
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
4%
3%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
New York
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Firefighters median pay.

State
Firefighters
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
New York
$100,960
$92,790
Washington
$94,520
$102,080
California
$85,120
$118,880
New Jersey
$84,130
$92,610
Illinois
$78,380
$100,520
Connecticut
$77,630
$82,170
District of Columbia
$75,870
$88,650
Colorado
$74,170
$97,350
Pennsylvania
$73,460
$85,470
Massachusetts
$72,800
$78,940
Oregon
$70,900
$88,140
Arizona
$59,280
$78,880
Alaska
$58,830
$99,130
Delaware
$46,710
$92,970
Minnesota
$38,110
$83,360

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Firefighterss or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss earn more nationally. The median is $59,280 for Firefighterss versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss, a difference of $17K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Firefighters or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Firefighters has the better 10-year outlook at 4% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Firefighters or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Firefighters typically requires postsecondary nondegree award. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Firefighterss get paid the most?

New York is the top-paying state for Firefighterss at $100,960/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Firefighters vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New York, Firefighterss earn $100,960 vs. $92,790 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Firefighters salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Firefighterss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a firefightersGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →