Long-Term Prospects

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Job Satisfaction

General quality of life statement

If you're looking for a spot to get rich, this isn't it. Did you seriously think it was? It's actually kind of charming if you did. No, firefighters don't drive to work in gold-plated BMWs. Maybe they should. We're not here to judge.

Now, you don't need a degree to be a firefighter, but if you do, you could very easily climb up the fire department ladder (har har). The folks at the top make the most dough—for example, a fire chief can make between $78,672 and $104,780. Ooh la la. So if you're looking for a job that saves lives and pays the bills, you've come to the right place. Sort of weird how the two things don't go hand in hand, but that's a lesson for another day. Really, all you have to decide is precisely how you want to go about saving lives.

That's the good news. People with this kind of purpose tend to be a cheerful bunch, or at least very happy with their life choices. That low salary generally encourages only those who really want this life to seek it out. So you get the ones who truly love the work.

By now, you should know if that's you or not. Does the thought of fighting fires thrill you? Do you get annoyed when a building's safety equipment isn't up to snuff? Do you want to do your best to make sure no one dies in a fire? Well, then money is a secondary concern.

25th Percentile Salary

Median Salary

75th Percentile Salary

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