National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Cybersecurity Analysts at $120,360/year. Cybersecurity Analysts earn 106% more nationally. The gap is $62,070 per year — or $5,173 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Cybersecurity Analyst
$120,360
national median/year
$10,030/mo • $58/hr
Annual salary gap
$62,070
Cybersecurity Analysts earn 106% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $703,582.
Best states for Cybersecurity Analysts
vs Firefighters
Virginia+$86,040
Maryland+$72,040
New York+$70,040
Georgia+$68,040
North Carolina+$68,040
Best states for Firefighters
vs Cybersecurity Analysts
Wyoming+$-34,040
Alaska+$-36,040
Hawaii+$-38,040
North Dakota+$-38,040
West Virginia+$-40,040
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Cybersecurity Analysts earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $120,360 for Cybersecurity Analysts — a difference of $62,070 per year or $5,173 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Cybersecurity Analysts is $62,070 per year. Cybersecurity Analysts earn 106% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $703,582.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Firefighters the highest median salary at $88,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Cybersecurity Analysts the highest median salary at $148,360 per year.
Salary is one factor — Cybersecurity Analysts earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Information Security Analysts 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, Firefighters earn approximately $28 per hour nationally and Cybersecurity Analysts earn approximately $58 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.
