Firefighters Salary in Raleigh, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Raleigh-Cary, NC

Median annual salary $46,050 -22.6% vs national
Median hourly $22.14
10th percentile $28,150
90th percentile $65,140
Employed locally 2,240
National median $59,530

Compare Firefighters salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Raleigh, NC stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Firefighters
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Raleigh, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $28,150
    25th
    $35,540
    50th (median)
    $46,050
    75th
    $53,750
    90th
    $65,140

    Raleigh economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $96,066 2023 • Census ACS
    Firefighters salary vs area income 48% Median Firefighters salary is 52% 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 Raleigh, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Security Guards$35,630
    Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$65,800
    Correctional Officers and Jailers$52,490
    Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$27,040
    First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$86,390
    Detectives and Criminal Investigators$69,620

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Firefighters make per hour in Raleigh?

    The median hourly wage for Firefighters in Raleigh, NC is $22.14, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $34.66 or more per hour.

    Is Raleigh above or below average for Firefighters salaries?

    The median Firefighters salary in Raleigh, NC is 22.6% 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 Raleigh?

    Entry-level Firefighters (10th percentile) earn around $28,150 per year in Raleigh, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $35,540.