SOC 33-1021 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers — Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · 7 metro areas compared
At $134,830 a year, the median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers in Seattle, WA sits 44.2% above the national figure of $93,530.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +3.4%
- Openings per year
- 6,500
- Typical entry-level education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $134,830 a year, the median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers in Seattle, WA sits 44.2% above the national figure of $93,530. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $125,760 and $156,730. The lowest tenth earn under $104,260, while the highest tenth earn more than $161,960.
The area has 1,680 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.26 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, Bellingham records the highest median at $137,720. Of the 693 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 78th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $104,260 | +11.5% |
| 25th | $125,760 | +34.5% |
| Median (50th) | $134,830 | +44.2% |
| 75th | $156,730 | +67.6% |
| 90th | $161,960 | +73.2% |
| Mean | $137,890 | +47.4% |
Other metro areas in Washington
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellingham | $137,720 | 130 | |
| 2 | Bremerton | $135,050 | 130 | |
| 3 | Olympia | $127,110 | 170 | |
| 4 | Mount Vernon | $114,810 | 80 | |
| 5 | Spokane | $109,990 | 370 | |
| 6 | Kennewick | $105,050 | 120 | |
| 7 | Yakima | $95,590 | 140 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Seattle run 11.1% above the national average, so the median of $134,830 buys what $121,359 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 29.8% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$134,830as reported by BLSLocal price level
111.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$121,359US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $134,830 a year, 44.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $104,260 to $161,960 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,680 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Bellingham, at $137,720.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers in Seattle, WA?
The median annual wage is $134,830, or $64.82 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 $93,530, so pay in Seattle, WA is 44.2% higher. 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 Seattle, WA earns more than $161,960 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $104,260 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 Bellingham, at $137,720 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,680 jobs in this occupation in Seattle, WA. 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.
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