SalaryExplorer

SOC 33-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

FirefightersEau Claire

Eau Claire, WI · 10 metro areas compared

$36,030 /year
$17.32per hour
310jobs in area
39.2%vs US median

The median wage for Firefighters in Eau Claire, WI is $36,030 per year, substantially below the national median of $59,280 — a gap of 39.2%.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $59,28010TH$29,350MEDIAN$36,03075TH$41,49090TH$57,110

Salary overview

The median wage for Firefighters in Eau Claire, WI is $36,030 per year, substantially below the national median of $59,280 — a gap of 39.2%. Pay ranges from under $29,350 at the tenth percentile to more than $57,110 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $31,220 to $41,490.

The area has 310 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.63 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Sheboygan leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $79,620. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 269th of 305 by median pay.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Eau Claire, WI · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$29,350−50.5%
25th$31,220−47.3%
Median (50th)$36,030−39.2%
75th$41,490−30.0%
90th$57,110−3.7%
Mean$39,170−33.9%

Other metro areas in Wisconsin

Median annual wage for Firefighters, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Sheboygan$79,62080
2Janesville$66,000190
3Racine$63,590260
4Madison$56,4301,230
5Oshkosh$51,520300
6Milwaukee$49,7602,130
7Green Bay$47,980590
8Kenosha$46,850280
9Wausau$46,820260
10Appleton$46,800320

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Eau Claire run 5.9% below the national average, so the median of $36,030 goes as far as $38,289 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 35.4% below the national median in real terms.

Published median

$36,030as reported by BLS

Local price level

94.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$38,289US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $36,030 a year, 39.2% below the national median.
  • Published pay spans $29,350 to $57,110 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 310 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Sheboygan, at $79,620.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Firefighters in Eau Claire, WI?

The median annual wage is $36,030, or $17.32 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $59,280, so pay in Eau Claire, WI is 39.2% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Eau Claire, WI earns more than $57,110 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $29,350 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Sheboygan, at $79,620 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 310 jobs in this occupation in Eau Claire, WI. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.

Firefighters Salary in Eau Claire, WI (2025): $36,030 Median | Salary Explorer