First Responder
First Responder Salary
$11K - $13.5K
0% of jobs
$13.5K - $16K
0% of jobs
$16K - $18.5K
0% of jobs
$18.5K - $21K
0% of jobs
$21K - $23.5K
0% of jobs
$23.5K - $26K
0% of jobs
$26K - $28.5K
0% of jobs
$28.5K - $31K
0% of jobs
$31K - $33.5K
0% of jobs
$33.5K - $36K
0% of jobs
$36.6K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$36K - $38.5K
100% of jobs
$11K
$41K
$40,000
/year
$19.23
/hour
First Responder Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$40,000
Columbus
Ohio
$38,635
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How much does a First Responder make?
As of Aug 19, 2026, the average annual pay for a First Responder in the United States is $40,000 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $19.23 an hour. This is the equivalent of $769/week or $3,333/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $41,000 and as low as $11,000, the majority of First Responder salaries currently range between $40,000 (25th percentile) to $40,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $40,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a First Responder varies little (about 0), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.
A First Responder in your area makes on average $38,635 per year, or $1,365 (3.413%) less than the national average annual salary of $40,000. Ohio ranks number 40 out of 50 states nationwide for First Responder salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for First Responder jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a First Responder on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for First Responder Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a First Responder job is above the national average. Topping the list is Corte Madera, CA, , with Nome, AK, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $8,187 (20.5%), and Corte Madera, CA, furthers that trend with another $9,690 (24.2%) above the $40,000 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a First Responder appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 5% between Corte Madera, CA, and San Jose, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a First Responder role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Corte Madera, CA | $49,690 | $23.89 |
Nome, AK | $49,619 | $23.86 |
Sitka, AK | $48,187 | $23.17 |
Menlo Park, CA | $47,138 | $22.66 |
East Palo Alto, CA | $47,133 | $22.66 |
San Francisco, CA | $47,126 | $22.66 |
Santa Clara, CA | $46,977 | $22.59 |
Sunnyvale, CA | $46,946 | $22.57 |
Livermore, CA | $46,919 | $22.56 |
San Jose, CA | $46,879 | $22.54 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related First Responder Jobs in the U.S.
We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the First Responder category.
For example Securities License jobs pay as much as $57,073 (142.7%) more than the average First Responder salary of $40,000. If you're qualified, finding work as a Securities License may help you make more money than that of the average First Responder position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Securities License | $97,073 | $46.67 |
Security Guard Supervisor | $54,037 | $25.98 |
Desk Officer | $53,266 | $25.61 |
Upmc Police | $49,239 | $23.67 |
Scooter Driver | $38,995 | $18.75 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
