National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Registered Nurses earn 61% more nationally. The gap is $35,310 per year — or $2,943 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$35,310
Registered Nurses earn 61% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $400,249.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Firefighters
California+$44,980
Oregon+$42,080
Washington+$40,080
Hawaii+$38,480
New Hampshire+$36,480
Best states for Firefighters
vs Registered Nurses
Wyoming+$-22,080
North Dakota+$-22,880
Illinois+$-23,680
West Virginia+$-23,680
Ohio+$-24,480
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $35,310 per year or $2,943 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Registered Nurses is $35,310 per year. Registered Nurses earn 61% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $400,249.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 per year.
Salary is one factor — Registered Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
