Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in North Carolina make a median of $37,940 a year, or about $18.24 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $40,945 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 48.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in North Carolina?
About firefighters
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for firefighters in North Carolina runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 50% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for firefighterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $48K | +26% | 340 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $47K | +23% | 1,970 |
| Rocky Mount | $46K | +22% | 220 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $46K | +20% | 2,510 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $39K | +2% | 4,700 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $38K | +1% | 1,220 |
| Asheville | $37K | -1% | 890 |
| Fayetteville | $37K | -3% | 850 |
| Burlington | $37K | -4% | 240 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $36K | -4% | 810 |
| Winston-Salem | $36K | -6% | 990 |
| Wilmington | $36K | -6% | 780 |
| Goldsboro | $36K | -6% | 100 |
| Greenville | $34K | -9% | 200 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $34K | -10% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 50% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,762/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is firefighter a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $38K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for firefighters?
North Carolina pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do firefighters make in North Carolina?
The median is $37,940 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,360, and experienced firefighters can clear $61,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,568/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 50% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a firefighters salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median firefighters salary is worth about $40,945 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do firefighters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.