Public Safety & Government
Firefighter
Fight fires, run EMS calls, rescue people. Paid academy, generous pensions, 24-on/48-off schedules let many work side businesses.
no-degree-requiredpaid-traininghelping-peoplestable
Salary progression
What you'll earn over your career
$48k
$72k
$110k
Entry
Mid-career
Senior
10-yr outlook
+4%
+4% (Average)
Open positions
27,000
Estimated nationwide
Entry paths
How to get here
Multiple paths lead to this career. Compare time, cost, online vs in-person delivery, and program links.
Fastest ROI
Apprenticeship In Person
Fire Academy + EMT certification
Time
4–7 months (often paid)
Cost
$0 – $5,000
Some departments pay during academy; others require you to pay first then hire. EMT cert helps a lot.
Degree Hybrid
AS Fire Science + EMT/Paramedic
Time
2 years + academy
Cost
$4,000 – $20,000
Paramedic cert on top can add $10–20k.
Affiliate disclosure: Some of the program links above may be affiliate partnerships. If you enroll, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to programs we have actually reviewed against our methodology. See our methodology for how we evaluate schools.
Attainability breakdown
What are the odds
you actually get there?
Six factors weighted to estimate the realistic probability a motivated person reaches this outcome. Higher = more attainable.
69
Composite
Attainability Score
Data-backed
- Educational difficultyHow hard the required schooling is to complete8020%
- Licensing & examsPass rates and difficulty of required exams8015%
- Entry-job competitionHow many applicants per open entry-level role4520%
- Career stay-rateInverse of early-career attrition / industry exit8015%
- Market demandOpenings vs available workforce7515%
- Alternative pathsHow many viable ways exist to enter the field6015%
Quick math
If you took the fastest path…
You'd train for
4–7 months (often paid)
You'd spend (avg)
$2,500
Starting salary
$48,000
Mid-career
$72,000
Read more
Articles & resources
Sources: BLS OOH 2024 · NFPA