State comparison · 2025
Firefighters salary: California vs Tennessee
Firefighters in California earn a median of $85,120. In Tennessee, $49,300. After cost-of-living, the gap is 43.3% — not 72.7%.
Nominal pay gap
+72.7%
California vs Tennessee
COL-adjusted gap
+43.3%
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
Tennessee
Firefighters
- Median
- $49,300
- p25
- $39,360
- p75
- $61,670
- p10
- $33,910
- p90
- $70,460
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 91.9
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.