Firefighters Salary in Asheville, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Asheville, NC

Median annual salary $37,050 -37.8% vs national
Median hourly $17.81
10th percentile $29,440
90th percentile $51,620
Employed locally 920
National median $59,530

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Firefighters
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Asheville, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $29,440
    25th
    $32,040
    50th (median)
    $37,050
    75th
    $42,400
    90th
    $51,620

    Asheville economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $69,236 2023 • Census ACS
    Firefighters salary vs area income 54% Median Firefighters salary is 46% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Firefighters

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $164,940
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $121,270
    Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $108,320
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $105,250
    Vallejo, CA $104,460
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $102,220

    Nearby metros — Firefighters salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $121,270
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $88,970
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $85,300
    Grand Junction, CO $69,680
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $68,250
    Muncie, IN $67,790

    Related occupations in Asheville, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Security Guards $38,850
    Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $54,270
    Correctional Officers and Jailers $50,290
    First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers $62,490
    Detectives and Criminal Investigators $61,770
    First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $77,140

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Firefighters make per hour in Asheville?

    The median hourly wage for Firefighters in Asheville, NC is $17.81, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $23.22 or more per hour.

    Is Asheville above or below average for Firefighters salaries?

    The median Firefighters salary in Asheville, NC is 37.8% below the national median of $59,530. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Firefighters in Asheville?

    Entry-level Firefighters (10th percentile) earn around $29,440 per year in Asheville, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $32,040.