SalaryByCity

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary vs Firefighters: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

$104,070

Median annual salary

319,630 employed nationally

Firefighters

$59,530

Median annual salary

332,240 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary professionals earn $44,540 more per year than Firefighters professionals — that's 74.8% higher. At the 90th percentile, Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary earns $165,820 compared to $101,330 for Firefighters.

Salary Range Comparison

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$72,400 – $165,820
Firefighters$34,490 – $101,330
$34,490$165,820

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileEducation Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryFirefightersDifference
10th Percentile$72,400$34,490+$37,910
25th Percentile$83,840$44,180+$39,660
Median (50th)$104,070$59,530+$44,540
75th Percentile$132,550$77,410+$55,140
90th Percentile$165,820$101,330+$64,490
Mean (Average)$113,360$63,890+$49,470

Employment Numbers

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

319,630

employed nationwide

Firefighters

332,240

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

CityMedian
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$170,150
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$164,500
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$160,750
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$157,210
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$156,670

Best Cities for Firefighters

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$164,940
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$121,270
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$108,320
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$105,250
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$102,220

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary or Firefighters?
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $44,540 (74.8% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary?
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salaries range from $72,400 (10th percentile) to $165,820 (90th percentile), with a median of $104,070.
What is the salary range for Firefighters?
Firefighters salaries range from $34,490 (10th percentile) to $101,330 (90th percentile), with a median of $59,530.
How many Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary and Firefighters jobs are there?
There are approximately 319,630 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary positions and 332,240 Firefighters positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Firefighters to Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary has a median salary of $104,070 while Firefighters earns $59,530. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS