State comparison · 2025
Firefighters salary: California vs New Jersey
Firefighters in California earn a median of $85,120. In New Jersey, $84,130. After cost-of-living, the gap is 0.6% — not 1.2%.
Nominal pay gap
+1.2%
California vs New Jersey
COL-adjusted gap
-0.6%
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
New Jersey
Firefighters
- Median
- $84,130
- p25
- $61,340
- p75
- $106,330
- p10
- $47,920
- p90
- $123,940
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 108.8
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.