Career
Firefighters
Run toward the emergencies everyone else runs from. Rescue people, fight fires and protect communities.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons or provide emergency medical care such as basic or advanced life support.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Coordination, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Active Learning.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
Under 2 years of education after high school (postsecondary nondegree award), for a median of $59,280 a year and 26,800 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective ServicesCIP 03.0208
- Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/TechnicianCIP 43.0201
- Fire Science/Fire-fightingCIP 43.0203
- Wildland/Forest Firefighting and InvestigationCIP 43.0206
- Fire Protection, OtherCIP 43.0299
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$93,530 · +3.7%
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists$56,870 · +13.1%
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators$75,920 · +4.2%
- Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$33,580 · +5.5%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →
Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.