National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Nurses earn a national median of $89,010/year vs Firefighters at $58,290/year. Nurses earn 35% more nationally. The gap is $30,720 per year — or $2,560 per month.
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Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
VS
Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$30,720
Nurses earn 35% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $348,220.
Best states for Firefighters
vs Nurses
Illinois+$-16,000
Indiana+$-20,000
Iowa+$-20,000
Kansas+$-20,000
Michigan+$-20,000
Best states for Nurses
vs Firefighters
California+$43,150
Hawaii+$32,000
Oregon+$31,000
Washington+$30,000
Idaho+$28,000
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Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Nurses is $89,010 versus $58,290 for Firefighters — a difference of $30,720 per year or $2,560 per month.
The national median salary gap between Nurses and Firefighters is $30,720 per year. Nurses earn 35% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $348,220.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Firefighters the highest median salary at $88,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Registered Nurses and Firefighters 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, Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour nationally and Firefighters earn approximately $28 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.
