First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
SOC code 33-1021 · O*NET-SOC 33-1021.00 · Medium preparation needed · Legal and protective services
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$93,530
a year
Hourly
$44.96
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$96,930
$46.60 per hour
Middle 50%
$72,140 – $119,500
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$53,430 – $140,010
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
99,140
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $53,430
- $25.69/hr
- 25th percentile
- $72,140
- $34.68/hr
- Median percentile
- $93,530
- $44.96/hr
- 75th percentile
- $119,500
- $57.45/hr
- 90th percentile
- $140,010
- $67.31/hr
What do first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers do?
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
- Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
- Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
- Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
- Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
- Evaluate size, location, and condition of fires.
- Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects.
- Recruit or hire firefighting personnel.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 3 — Medium preparation needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers earn?
The national median is $93,530 a year. The full range runs from $53,430 at the 10th percentile to $140,010 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 3, meaning the typical entry route is most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.8/5
- Education and Training4.2/5
- Public Safety and Security4.0/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.8/5
- Building and Construction3.8/5
- English Language3.7/5
- Administration and Management3.7/5
- Medicine and Dentistry3.4/5
Transferable strengths: Management of Personnel Resources, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Instructing.