National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Machine Learning Engineers at $158,000/year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 171% more nationally. The gap is $99,710 per year — or $8,309 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Machine Learning Engineer
$158,000
national median/year
$13,167/mo • $76/hr
Annual salary gap
$99,710
Machine Learning Engineers earn 171% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,130,242.
Best states for Machine Learning Engineers
vs Firefighters
Virginia+$125,680
California+$123,680
Washington+$123,680
New York+$113,680
Maryland+$107,680
Best states for Firefighters
vs Machine Learning Engineers
Alaska+$-59,680
Wyoming+$-59,680
Mississippi+$-63,680
North Dakota+$-63,680
West Virginia+$-63,680
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Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $158,000 for Machine Learning Engineers — a difference of $99,710 per year or $8,309 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Machine Learning Engineers is $99,710 per year. Machine Learning Engineers earn 171% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,130,242.
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 Machine Learning Engineers the highest median salary at $212,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Machine Learning Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Computer and Information Research Scientists 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 Machine Learning Engineers earn approximately $76 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.
