Firefighters vs Purchasing Managers: Salary Comparison (2024)
Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Which Career Pays More?
Firefighters professionals earn $59,530 more per year than Purchasing Managers professionals.
Top Paying Cities
Best Cities for Firefighters
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Best Cities for Purchasing Managers
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $170,900 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $168,460 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $152,380 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $138,270 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $137,980 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who earns more: Firefighters or Purchasing Managers?
Firefighters professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $59,530 (null% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
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.
What is the salary range for Purchasing Managers?
Salary data for Purchasing Managers is not currently available.
How many Firefighters and Purchasing Managers jobs are there?
There are approximately 332,240 Firefighters positions and N/A Purchasing Managers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Purchasing Managers to Firefighters?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Firefighters has a median salary of $59,530 while Purchasing Managers earns $0. 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