Career Atlas USA

Best States for Firefighters

Ranked by the Career Atlas Opportunity Score, not raw pay — a high-paying state with few jobs or a high cost of living can rank below a more balanced one.

  1. 1Illinois87.7 / 100
  2. 2Massachusetts83.6 / 100
  3. 3Ohio78.7 / 100
  4. 4Indiana72.2 / 100
  5. 5Washington69.2 / 100
  6. 6Rhode Island68.2 / 100
  7. 7Virginia65.8 / 100
  8. 8Alabama65 / 100
  9. 9New Hampshire64.9 / 100
  10. 10Colorado64.9 / 100
  11. 11California60.6 / 100
  12. 12Florida59.5 / 100
  13. 13Alaska59 / 100
  14. 14North Carolina58.6 / 100
  15. 15New Jersey57.8 / 100

Also see highest-paying states (ranked by salary alone).