Fire Captain / Lieutenant: Pay & Requirements

Overview

Sourced

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

O*NET definition of First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers (SOC 33-1021) · Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed.

95,420

in government (SOC 33-1021)

96%

of this occupation works for government

$94,480

median pay in government

Local

levels of government

Titles employers use

Engine BossFire Battalion ChiefFire CaptainFire ChiefBattalion ChiefFire LieutenantFire MarshalFire Suppression CaptainForest Fire Specialist SupervisorSection Forest Fire Warden

How people usually get in Editorial

promotional exam. Requirements vary by employer; each employer page will list its exact rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Requirements

Sourced

Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 33-1021)

Education needed to enter: Postsecondary nondegree award
Related work experience: Less than 5 years
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Education workers say the job requires

Less than a High School Diploma

High School Diploma or the equivalent

38%

Post-Secondary Certificate

35%

Some College Courses

Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree

22%

Bachelor's Degree

Share of surveyed workers in First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers (SOC 33-1021) naming each level as required to be hired, 16 respondents, O*NET survey August 2026. Each employer sets its own minimum.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4); U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Academy and training

Sourced

Training to become competent (BLS)

SOC 33-1021: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Preparation level (O*NET)

Job zone: Medium Preparation Needed

Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Rank and step: paramilitary rank × time-in-service step (officer → sergeant → lieutenant → captain …). Typical structure for a career fire department; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

Fire Recruit (academy)
Probationary Firefighter
Firefighter (steps to top)
Engineer / Driver-Operator / Apparatus Operator
Lieutenant
Captain
Battalion Chief
Division / Deputy Chief
Assistant Chief
Fire Chief

Assignments and specialty tracks

Firefighter/ParamedicFire Inspector → Fire MarshalFire/Arson InvestigatorHazmat TechnicianTechnical Rescue / USARTraining Captain

Source: GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial).

Pay

Sourced

Federal

$84,700

State

$103,010

Local

$94,490

All government

$94,480

Private sector

$59,670

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

Employer type	Workers	10th pct.	25th	Median	75th	90th
Federal	1,570	$71,280	$76,460	$84,700	$97,680	$114,730
State	1,940	$57,030	$74,710	$103,010	$115,450	$131,810
Local	91,900	$55,490	$73,170	$94,490	$120,530	$141,870
All government	95,420	$55,800	$73,280	$94,480	$120,340	$140,830
Private sector	3,720	$38,480	$47,970	$59,670	$80,950	$103,760

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Schedule

Sourced

Work schedule

Regular

80%

Irregular

20%

Seasonal

Typical work week

Less than 40 hours

40 hours

More than 40 hours

96%

Share of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2026). Shift patterns and differentials depend on the employer.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Day-to-day work

Sourced

Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.4.6
Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.4.5
Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.4.5
Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.4.4
Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.4.4
Evaluate size, location, and condition of fires.4.3
Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects.4.3
Recruit or hire firefighting personnel.4.3
Assess nature and extent of fire, condition of building, danger to adjacent buildings, and water supply status to determine crew or company requirements.4.2
Monitor fire suppression expenditures to ensure that they are necessary and reasonable.4.2

The 10 most important of 25 core tasks for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2026.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

13Derived

Employer directory

Sourced

7,955 fire departments in the registry. Public fire departments with at least one career (paid) firefighter, as registered with the U.S. Fire Administration. The 10 largest by career firefighters:

Employer	Location	Career firefighters	Website
Fire Department City of New York (FDNY) Career	Brooklyn, NY	10,482	Official site
Chicago Fire Department Career	Chicago, IL	4,881	Official site
Houston Fire Department Career	Houston, TX	3,948	Official site
CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection- HQ Career	Sacramento, CA	3,800	Official site
Los Angeles County Fire Department Mostly career	Los Angeles, CA	3,550	Official site
Los Angeles Fire Department Career	Los Angeles, CA	3,346	Official site
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department Career	Doral, FL	2,094	Official site
Philadelphia Fire Department Career	Philadelphia, PA	2,085	Official site
Dallas Fire Department Career	Dallas, TX	1,950	Official site
San Francisco Fire Department Career	San Francisco, CA	1,700	Official site

Full lists by state:

California · 581 Ohio · 464 Texas · 452 North Carolina · 408 Illinois · 371 Michigan · 367 Massachusetts · 276 Florida · 273 Washington · 241 Georgia · 235 Louisiana · 223 Missouri · 217

As reported by each employer to its federal registry.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA), National Fire Department Registry. Data captured September 30, 2026.

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers (SOC 33-1021) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

State	Workers	10th pct.	Median	90th pct.
New Jersey	2,210	$105,990	$133,210	$164,610
New York	4,100	$87,670	$132,520	$158,510
Washington	3,350	$79,440	$129,350	$160,630
California	8,170	$80,910	$127,630	$204,160
District of Columbia	380	$112,460	$126,560	$147,960
Illinois	3,240	$73,690	$123,500	$153,820
Maryland	2,380	$80,460	$120,530	$141,870
Colorado	1,900	$73,320	$102,580	$141,390
Pennsylvania	1,340	$70,510	$101,050	$121,800
Utah	770	$60,130	$100,380	$122,490
Oregon	1,160	$75,350	$100,260	$127,660
Florida	9,540	$62,520	$98,560	$133,450
Connecticut	1,310	$83,030	$98,500	$125,120
Virginia	3,300	$59,510	$97,780	$124,780
Massachusetts	3,370	$75,550	$96,600	$140,010
Arizona	2,670	$61,540	$96,470	$119,620
Nevada	1,080	$72,050	$93,920	$152,570
New Hampshire	450	$59,950	$93,720	$119,250
Alaska	310	$49,250	$92,760	$121,640
Idaho	520	$49,010	$92,630	$129,650
Indiana	1,290	$56,940	$88,310	$120,820
Oklahoma	2,000	$55,260	$85,310	$101,770
Rhode Island	770	$65,890	$85,170	$97,740
Ohio	3,960	$55,340	$84,490	$123,630
Wisconsin	1,330	$55,060	$83,310	$119,230
Vermont	90	$42,320	$83,250	$129,050
North Dakota	130	$63,820	$82,880	$121,210
Montana	320	$64,560	$82,820	$107,000
Texas	8,660	$60,260	$81,710	$118,590
Nebraska	370	$66,390	$80,810	$101,760
Wyoming	150	$61,670	$80,260	$120,630
Kansas	1,450	$46,470	$78,880	$127,340
Minnesota	1,120	$49,150	$78,800	$131,450
Tennessee	2,210	$45,680	$77,920	$100,250
Michigan	1,830	$49,550	$77,550	$104,580
Iowa	600	$62,490	$76,010	$112,140
Missouri	1,950	$45,210	$75,970	$125,940
Maine	410	$50,120	$74,790	$98,910
Delaware	Not published	$50,130	$74,670	$100,100
Alabama	1,440	$43,050	$73,320	$114,220
South Dakota	120	$67,200	$72,420	$115,210
Georgia	3,730	$46,400	$67,200	$96,750
South Carolina	1,450	$44,200	$65,160	$100,860
Arkansas	920	$43,710	$61,890	$87,010
Kentucky	1,250	$41,470	$60,850	$105,630
Louisiana	1,810	$35,730	$59,750	$89,000
North Carolina	5,050	$44,800	$59,560	$110,790
New Mexico	820	$46,600	$58,430	$98,300
West Virginia	180	$34,160	$55,380	$72,840
Mississippi	1,550	$35,410	$48,250	$72,900

50 states with published estimates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Not yet collected

These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.

03 Hiring process
Ordered steps + typical timeline: application, written test (named), physical test (named), oral board, background, polygraph, psych, medical, eligibility list
Not yet collected
05 Probation
Probation length and what ends it
Not yet collected
09 Benefits and pension
Pension plan/tier and formula, retirement age/years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b), PSLF eligibility
Not yet collected
10 Union contracts
Bargaining unit, union, current CBA (source link, effective dates)
Not yet collected
11 Transfers and lateral entry
Lateral policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonus, inter-agency moves
Not yet collected
14 Exam practice
Named exams → OpenExamPrep practice
Not yet collected

Fire Captain / Lieutenant

Overview

Titles employers use

Requirements

Education workers say the job requires

Academy and training

Promotion ladder

Assignments and specialty tracks

Pay

Schedule

Day-to-day work

Related jobs

Employer directory

By state

Not yet collected