National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Marketing Managers at $156,580/year. Marketing Managers earn 169% more nationally. The gap is $98,290 per year — or $8,191 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Marketing Manager
$156,580
national median/year
$13,048/mo • $75/hr
Annual salary gap
$98,290
Marketing Managers earn 169% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,114,146.
Best states for Marketing Managers
vs Firefighters
New York+$116,000
Massachusetts+$104,000
Virginia+$104,000
Washington+$104,000
California+$100,000
Best states for Firefighters
vs Marketing Managers
Alaska+$-46,000
Wyoming+$-50,000
West Virginia+$-52,000
Mississippi+$-54,000
North Dakota+$-54,000
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Marketing Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $156,580 for Marketing Managers — a difference of $98,290 per year or $8,191 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Marketing Managers is $98,290 per year. Marketing Managers earn 169% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,114,146.
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 Marketing Managers the highest median salary at $188,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Marketing Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Marketing Managers 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 Marketing Managers earn approximately $75 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.
