PublicPay

Wildland Fire Management federal salary series 0456

Full-time federal employees in the Wildland Fire Management series earned a median of $62,510 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 43% below the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $48,424 and $82,568.

Median pay
$62,510
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$48,424–$82,568
25th–75th percentile
Employees
9,190
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
-18.7%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Wildland Fire Management
All federal (full-time)

What shapes wildland fire management pay

The most common grade with published pay is GW-4 (2,255 employees, median $48,424). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Agriculture (5,878 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Alaska ($97,725) and lowest in Montana ($52,957), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

Wildland Fire Management pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Wildland Fire Management pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GW-3 1,183 $44,112 $44,112–$44,342
GW-4 2,255 $48,424 $48,424–$50,038
GW-5 1,383 $53,224 $52,957–$58,253
GW-6 559 $61,514 $58,412–$65,358
GW-7 1,125 $68,828 $66,742–$76,254
GW-8 868 $75,972 $72,124–$81,139
GW-9 525 $84,974 $80,117–$89,831
GW-10 113 $88,585 $85,979–$93,307
GW-11 607 $94,794 $92,006–$100,372
GW-12 313 $107,321 $104,068–$114,297
GW-13 186 $124,106 $120,345–$133,987
GW-14 53 $146,825 $138,187–$152,784

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Wildland Fire Management pay by agency

Wildland Fire Management pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Agriculture 5,878 $57,670 $48,424–$78,886
Department of the Interior 3,309 $71,997 $50,126–$90,498

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Wildland Fire Management pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Wildland Fire Management pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
California 2,086 $61,626 $51,426–$80,738
Idaho 1,032 $64,046 $48,424–$85,896
Oregon 994 $52,957 $48,424–$81,241
Montana 834 $52,957 $48,424–$76,631
Arizona 614 $54,722 $48,424–$74,378
Colorado 477 $61,514 $52,957–$82,546
Utah 460 $60,553 $48,424–$83,392
Nevada 441 $69,871 $48,424–$90,649
New Mexico 410 $59,238 $48,424–$80,769
Washington 407 $57,670 $48,424–$82,546

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare wildland fire management pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved −18.7% from $76,918 in September 2025 to $62,510 in September 2026. Headcount went from 3,193 to 9,190 (+187.8%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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