SalaryByCity

Firefighters vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

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

Firefighters

$59,530

Median annual salary

332,240 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Firefighters professionals earn $13,240 more per year than Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals — that's 28.6% higher. At the 90th percentile, Firefighters earns $101,330 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Firefighters$34,490 – $101,330
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$31,600$101,330

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileFirefightersSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$34,490$31,600+$2,890
25th Percentile$44,180$37,770+$6,410
Median (50th)$59,530$46,290+$13,240
75th Percentile$77,410$55,650+$21,760
90th Percentile$101,330$64,150+$37,180
Mean (Average)$63,890$47,640+$16,250

Employment Numbers

Firefighters

332,240

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

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

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Firefighters or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Firefighters professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $13,240 (28.6% 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 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Firefighters and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 332,240 Firefighters positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Firefighters?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Firefighters has a median salary of $59,530 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. 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