National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Project Managers at $98,580/year. Project Managers earn 69% more nationally. The gap is $40,290 per year — or $3,358 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
Annual salary gap
$40,290
Project Managers earn 69% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $456,699.
Best states for Project Managers
vs Firefighters
Virginia+$54,000
New York+$46,000
Georgia+$44,000
Maryland+$44,000
Massachusetts+$44,000
Best states for Firefighters
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$-16,000
Alaska+$-20,000
Wyoming+$-24,000
Nevada+$-26,000
Montana+$-28,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $98,580 for Project Managers — a difference of $40,290 per year or $3,358 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Project Managers is $40,290 per year. Project Managers earn 69% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $456,699.
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 Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Project Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Project Management Specialists 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 Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
