How much does a fire captain make?
a year · about $45 an hour
A typical fire captain in the United States makes $93,530 a year, about $45 an hour, about 1.8× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They check hoses, vehicles, and gear, keep the station ready, and drill the crew. When an alarm rings, the captain sizes up the fire or medical call, directs the crew, and helps keep everyone safe.
Did you know? Even as a captain, you may still connect hoses and climb ladders at a fire—not just give orders.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $53,430 and $140,010How do you become one?
Earn a high school diploma, complete fire-academy and EMS training, then work as a firefighter; EMT rules vary by place. Captains are promoted under local rules: Los Angeles requires four years of paid service and tests.
School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience
Good for people who like leading and selling and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, more experience and job-related certificates can help a fire captain earn more. Pay also depends on the department and local pay scale; overtime or night and holiday shifts may change total earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in New Jersey ($133,210), lowest in Mississippi ($48,250).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $53,430 | $93,530 | $140,010 | about 99,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $133,210 | about 2,000 |
| New York | $132,520 | about 4,000 |
| Washington | $129,350 | about 3,000 |
| California | $127,630 | about 8,000 |
| Illinois | $123,500 | about 3,000 |
Official definition: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/firefighters.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-1021.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes331021.htm
- lafd.org/ti-positions-ranks-captain-i
- www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/hrsite/jobdesc/61040.pdf
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY