State comparison · 2025
Firefighters salary: California vs North Carolina
Firefighters in California earn a median of $85,120. In North Carolina, $37,940. After cost-of-living, the gap is 91.1% — not 124.4%.
Nominal pay gap
+124.4%
California vs North Carolina
COL-adjusted gap
+91.1%
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
North Carolina
Firefighters
- Median
- $37,940
- p25
- $34,010
- p75
- $47,690
- p10
- $29,360
- p90
- $61,940
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 94.3
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.