Firefighting Job Numbers

According to government data, there are about 350,000 fire fighting related positions in the United States. Almost 300,000 of those jobs were held by fire fighters, with the others made up of prevention specialists and human resource specialists and managers.

The U.S. Fire Administration reports that almost seventy-five percent of all firemen in the United States serve on a volunteer basis. Of those which are employed, about nine out of ten are in the service of some form of government, whether it be city, state, federal, or military. There are also opportunities, albeit somewhat limited, with private firefighting companies.

In the future, job prospects are expected to continue to be competitive. There will always be a need for fire fighters, and the job is expected to grow at an average rate (versus all careers) for the foreseeable future. However, competition is already fierce and is not expected to become any easier, so getting into a firefighting position will continue to be a challenge -- albeit a worthy one.