State comparison · 2025
Firefighters salary: California vs Kentucky
Firefighters in California earn a median of $85,120. In Kentucky, $37,150. After cost-of-living, the gap is 86.7% — not 129.1%.
Nominal pay gap
+129.1%
California vs Kentucky
COL-adjusted gap
+86.7%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
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
Kentucky
Firefighters
- Median
- $37,150
- p25
- $33,390
- p75
- $48,120
- p10
- $27,870
- p90
- $60,720
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 90.2
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.