How much do firefighters get paid?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average firefighter makes around $48,000 per year as of 2013. Firefighters' average salaries vary greatly according to location, experience and industry of employment.

Some of the highest paying states for firefighters include New Jersey, with an annual mean wage of $75,000; New York ($72,000); California ($71,000); Washington ($64,000); and Oregon ($57,000). States that employ the largest numbers of firefighters include California, Texas, Florida, Ohio and Illinois. Firefighters are predominantly employed by local governments, but those employed in other industries are often paid more. Those employed in research and development services, for example, boast an annual mean wage of around $70,000 per year.