National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Doctors earn a national median of $236,000/year vs Firefighters at $58,290/year. Doctors earn 75% more nationally. The gap is $177,710 per year — or $14,809 per month.
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Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
VS
Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$177,710
Doctors earn 75% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,014,395.
Best states for Firefighters
vs Doctors
California+$-164,000
Arkansas+$-166,000
Hawaii+$-166,000
Nevada+$-166,000
Wyoming+$-166,000
Best states for Doctors
vs Firefighters
Minnesota+$186,000
Wisconsin+$186,000
Maryland+$184,000
Massachusetts+$184,000
New Hampshire+$184,000
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Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Doctors is $236,000 versus $58,290 for Firefighters — a difference of $177,710 per year or $14,809 per month.
The national median salary gap between Doctors and Firefighters is $177,710 per year. Doctors earn 75% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,014,395.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Massachusetts pays Doctors the highest median salary at $258,320 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 — Doctors earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physicians and Surgeons 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, Doctors earn approximately $113 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.
