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Salary comparison

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers out-earn Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by $17K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers land at $93,530 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $76,210. The education gap is real: first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention worker programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers is New Jersey ($133,210); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers it's California ($118,880).

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$93,530
$76,210
Hourly rate
$44.96/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$53,430
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$140,010
$115,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
99,140
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
3.4%
3.1%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
New Jersey
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers median pay.

State
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
New Jersey
$133,210
$92,610
New York
$132,520
$92,790
Washington
$129,350
$102,080
California
$127,630
$118,880
District of Columbia
$126,560
$88,650
Illinois
$123,500
$100,520
Colorado
$102,580
$97,350
Pennsylvania
$101,050
$85,470
Oregon
$100,260
$88,140
Connecticut
$98,500
$82,170
Massachusetts
$96,600
$78,940
Arizona
$96,470
$78,880
Alaska
$92,760
$99,130
Minnesota
$78,800
$83,360
Delaware
$74,670
$92,970

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

Common questions

Who earns more, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers earn more nationally. The median is $93,530 for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, a difference of $17K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.4% projected growth, compared to 3.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers get paid the most?

New Jersey is the top-paying state for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers at $133,210/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Jersey, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers earn $133,210 vs. $92,610 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by take-home payExplore →How to become a first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workersGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →