National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Physical Therapists earn 71% more nationally. The gap is $41,420 per year — or $3,452 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$41,420
Physical Therapists earn 71% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $469,508.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Firefighters
New Hampshire+$42,000
Arizona+$40,000
Delaware+$40,000
Georgia+$40,000
North Carolina+$40,000
Best states for Firefighters
vs Physical Therapists
California+$-26,000
Illinois+$-28,000
Massachusetts+$-28,000
New Jersey+$-28,000
New York+$-30,000
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Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $41,420 per year or $3,452 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Physical Therapists is $41,420 per year. Physical Therapists earn 71% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $469,508.
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 Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Physical Therapists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Physical Therapists 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 Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 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.
