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Law & Government

Firefighters

Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.

Median salary (BLS)

$59,280

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$35k – $101k

Job outlook

+3% (about average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $105,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Firefighters

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$8,200–$27,000

Time to qualify

2.5 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Associate degree (community college)

    Degree

    Two years at in-district rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $4,050/yr, plus ~$1,200/yr books & supplies.

    $8,000–$22,000 · 2 years source

  2. 2

    Bar exam / state licensure / academy

    License

    Lawyers: the state bar exam. Public-safety roles: a training academy plus state certification.

    $200–$5,000 · 6 months · varies by state source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Firefighters" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Firefighters

    Entry / Junior

    $34,910

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Firefighters

    Established

    $59,280

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Firefighters

    Senior

    $80,160

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
  • •Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
  • •Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
  • •Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
  • •Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Law & Government

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.