Firefighters Salary in Hickory, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Median annual salary $34,790 -41.6% vs national
Median hourly $16.73
10th percentile $29,040
90th percentile $55,270
Employed locally 740
National median $59,530

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Firefighters
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Hickory, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $29,040
    25th
    $29,890
    50th (median)
    $34,790
    75th
    $44,270
    90th
    $55,270

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Firefighters salary vs area income 58% Median Firefighters salary is 42% 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 Hickory, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $52,270
    Correctional Officers and Jailers $48,040
    Security Guards $32,780
    First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $75,240
    First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers $55,970
    Detectives and Criminal Investigators $58,640

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Firefighters make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Firefighters in Hickory, NC is $16.73, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $21.59 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Firefighters salaries?

    The median Firefighters salary in Hickory, NC is 41.6% 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 Hickory?

    Entry-level Firefighters (10th percentile) earn around $29,040 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $29,890.