Quick answer: Firefighters in the Panama City area earn a median $46,580 per year, below the national median of $59,280, and the metro employs about 250 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Panama City metro | Florida | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $46,580 | $58,550 | $59,280 |
| 10th percentile | $33,570 | $37,260 | $34,910 |
| 25th percentile | $36,960 | $45,900 | $44,490 |
| 75th percentile | $58,620 | $75,840 | $77,250 |
| 90th percentile | $72,140 | $93,310 | $101,040 |
| Employment | 250 | 24,570 | 345,990 |
| Location quotient | 1.24 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area.
The Panama City median of $46,580 is below the national median of $59,280, and below the Florida statewide median of $58,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.24 means firefighters are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Firefighting is hired municipally, so the relevant market is the metro area and its surrounding departments rather than the national picture.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | $75,710 | 6,600 |
| Orlando | $45,520 | 3,580 |
| Tampa | $59,660 | 3,220 |
| Jacksonville | $58,940 | 2,060 |
| Cape Coral | $60,000 | 930 |
| Palm Bay | $43,850 | 810 |
| North Port | $62,120 | 650 |
| Deltona | $46,010 | 640 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Firefighter certification is issued at the state level, commonly against the NFPA standards, with certificates accredited through IFSAC or the Pro Board so they carry between agencies. The academic degree is separate: fire science programs generally follow the federal FESHE model curriculum and matter mainly for promotion rather than for initial hire.
See the Florida licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for firefighters in the Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metro area is $46,580, below the national median of $59,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metro area employs about 250 firefighters (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Firefighter certification is issued at the state level, commonly against the NFPA standards, with certificates accredited through IFSAC or the Pro Board so they carry between agencies. The academic degree is separate: fire science programs generally follow the federal FESHE model curriculum and matter mainly for promotion rather than for initial hire. Confirm current requirements with your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
The Panama City metro median is $46,580 against a statewide median of $58,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
