Arizona firefighters are middle of the pack when it comes to salaries across the nation, even when adjusted for cost of living.
According to a study by Frontpoint, Arizona pays their firefighters the 20th lowest in the nation, at $45,150 per year. When adjusted for cost of living, firefighters have a purchasing power of $46,836 — $22.43 per hour. That pales in comparison to firefighters in California, who on average earn the most in the U.S. with $81,580 — and still come in first when adjusted for cost of living, $71,063. Washington state is next with $69,408.
The annual mean career firefighter salary in the US is $53,240, according to the report.
Every day, more than 1 million U.S. firefighters put their lives on the line to protect citizens.
Not only by putting out fires, but by responding to all types of emergencies — falls, collisions, heart attacks, etc.