National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Firefighters at $58,290/year. Accountants earn 27% more nationally. The gap is $21,590 per year — or $1,799 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$21,590
Accountants earn 27% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $244,729.
Best states for Firefighters
vs Accountants
Hawaii+$-2,000
Alaska+$-6,000
California+$-10,000
Nevada+$-10,000
Oregon+$-10,000
Best states for Accountants
vs Firefighters
Virginia+$28,000
New York+$26,000
Georgia+$24,000
North Carolina+$24,000
Texas+$24,000
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Accountants earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $58,290 for Firefighters — a difference of $21,590 per year or $1,799 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Firefighters is $21,590 per year. Accountants earn 27% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $244,729.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Accountants the highest median salary at $98,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Firefighters the highest median salary at $88,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Accountants earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Accountants and Auditors and Firefighters both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Accountants earn approximately $38 per hour nationally and Firefighters earn approximately $28 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
