State comparison · 2025
Firefighters salary: California vs Mississippi
Firefighters in California earn a median of $85,120. In Mississippi, $35,880. After cost-of-living, the gap is 86.4% — not 137.2%.
Nominal pay gap
+137.2%
California vs Mississippi
COL-adjusted gap
+86.4%
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
Mississippi
Firefighters
- Median
- $35,880
- p25
- $29,430
- p75
- $44,060
- p10
- $26,850
- p90
- $51,310
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 87.0
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.