National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Firefighters earn 18% more nationally. The gap is $10,300 per year — or $858 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$10,300
Firefighters earn 18% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $116,754.
Best states for Welders
vs Firefighters
North Dakota+$6,670
Louisiana+$4,670
Oklahoma+$2,670
South Dakota+$2,670
Missouri+$670
Best states for Firefighters
vs Welders
California+$31,330
Massachusetts+$17,330
New Jersey+$17,330
Connecticut+$15,330
New York+$13,330
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Firefighters earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $10,300 per year or $858 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Welders is $10,300 per year. Firefighters earn 18% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $116,754.
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 Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 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 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 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 Welders earn approximately $23 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.
