National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Veterinarians at $119,100/year. Veterinarians earn 104% more nationally. The gap is $60,810 per year — or $5,068 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Veterinarian
$119,100
national median/year
$9,925/mo • $57/hr
Annual salary gap
$60,810
Veterinarians earn 104% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $689,299.
Best states for Veterinarians
vs Firefighters
Virginia+$67,780
North Carolina+$65,780
Maryland+$63,780
New York+$63,780
Washington+$63,780
Best states for Firefighters
vs Veterinarians
Mississippi+$-43,780
West Virginia+$-43,780
Wyoming+$-43,780
Arkansas+$-47,780
North Dakota+$-47,780
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Veterinarians earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $119,100 for Veterinarians — a difference of $60,810 per year or $5,068 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Veterinarians is $60,810 per year. Veterinarians earn 104% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $689,299.
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 Veterinarians the highest median salary at $148,100 per year.
Salary is one factor — Veterinarians earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Veterinarians 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 Veterinarians earn approximately $57 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.
