State comparison · 2025
Firefighters salary: Alabama vs California
Firefighters in California earn a median of $85,120. In Alabama, $47,600. After cost-of-living, the gap is 30.3% — not 44.1%.
Nominal pay gap
-44.1%
Alabama vs California
COL-adjusted gap
-30.3%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
Alabama
Firefighters
- Median
- $47,600
- p25
- $37,150
- p75
- $59,520
- p10
- $29,770
- p90
- $76,190
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 88.8
California
Firefighters
- Median
- $85,120
- p25
- $65,170
- p75
- $109,620
- p10
- $52,390
- p90
- $136,150
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.