National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Truck Drivers at $54,320/year. Firefighters earn 7% more nationally. The gap is $3,970 per year — or $331 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
Annual salary gap
$3,970
Firefighters earn 7% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $45,001.
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Firefighters
South Dakota+$8,000
Arkansas+$6,000
Kentucky+$6,000
Mississippi+$6,000
North Dakota+$6,000
Best states for Firefighters
vs Truck Drivers
California+$26,000
Hawaii+$20,000
Massachusetts+$14,000
New Jersey+$14,000
Washington+$14,000
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Firefighters earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $54,320 for Truck Drivers — a difference of $3,970 per year or $331 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Truck Drivers is $3,970 per year. Firefighters earn 7% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $45,001.
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 Truck Drivers the highest median salary at $62,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Firefighters earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 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 Truck Drivers earn approximately $26 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.
