National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Plumbers at $61,550/year. Plumbers earn 6% more nationally. The gap is $3,260 per year — or $272 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$3,260
Plumbers earn 6% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $36,953.
Best states for Plumbers
vs Firefighters
Missouri+$14,000
North Dakota+$12,000
Alaska+$10,000
Hawaii+$10,000
Michigan+$10,000
Best states for Firefighters
vs Plumbers
California+$10,000
Arizona+$2,000
Colorado+$0
Florida+$0
Maryland+$0
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Plumbers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $61,550 for Plumbers — a difference of $3,260 per year or $272 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Plumbers is $3,260 per year. Plumbers earn 6% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $36,953.
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, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Plumbers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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 Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
