Quick answer: The Myrtle Beach metro employs about 820 firefighters (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state fire marshal or fire training academy.
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 South Carolina 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.
This page lists 1 school within 125 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 1 of them carries a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Firefighters in the Myrtle Beach area earn a median $45,890 per year, below the national median of $59,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Myrtle Beach metro | South Carolina | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $45,890 | $42,570 | $59,280 |
| 10th percentile | $39,230 | $29,130 | $34,910 |
| 25th percentile | $39,230 | $34,510 | $44,490 |
| 75th percentile | $49,750 | $49,570 | $77,250 |
| 90th percentile | $58,970 | $62,150 | $101,040 |
| Employment | 820 | 7,780 | 345,990 |
| Location quotient | 2.53 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC metropolitan statistical area.
The Myrtle Beach median of $45,890 is below the national median of $59,280, and above the South Carolina statewide median of $42,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 2.53 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $46,830 | 1,470 |
| Greenville | $39,980 | 1,290 |
| Columbia | $36,960 | 1,060 |
| Hilton Head Island | $50,210 | 640 |
| Spartanburg | $36,360 | 620 |
| Florence | $32,570 | 340 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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.
The median annual wage for firefighters in the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC metro area is $45,890, below the national median of $59,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC metro area employs about 820 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 Myrtle Beach metro median is $45,890 against a statewide median of $42,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
