National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Pharmacists at $132,750/year. Pharmacists earn 128% more nationally. The gap is $74,460 per year — or $6,205 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Pharmacist
$132,750
national median/year
$11,063/mo • $64/hr
Annual salary gap
$74,460
Pharmacists earn 128% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $844,026.
Best states for Pharmacists
vs Firefighters
New Hampshire+$78,000
North Carolina+$78,000
Virginia+$78,000
Georgia+$76,000
Missouri+$76,000
Best states for Firefighters
vs Pharmacists
California+$-60,000
New Jersey+$-64,000
Hawaii+$-66,000
Wyoming+$-66,000
Illinois+$-68,000
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Pharmacists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $132,750 for Pharmacists — a difference of $74,460 per year or $6,205 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Pharmacists is $74,460 per year. Pharmacists earn 128% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $844,026.
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 Pharmacists the highest median salary at $148,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pharmacists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Pharmacists 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 Pharmacists earn approximately $64 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.
