Firefighter Apprenticeship in Kansas

Wages, programs & career outlook

Firefighters respond to fires, medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, and hazardous material calls. Most work 24- or 48-hour shifts out of a station, alternating between active calls, equipment maintenance, training drills, and public education.

KS Median Salary
$44,060/yr
-26% vs. national
National Median
$59,530/yr
KS Employment
3,630
Firefighters employed
KS Sponsors
15
Registered programs
Training Term
2.0 yrs
Hybrid
Job Growth
3.4%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
27,100
Nationally, per yr

Firefighter Apprenticeship in Kansas: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered firefighter apprenticeship in Kansas combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 2.0 years and follow a hybrid structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Kansas pay vs. national

Median firefighter wages in Kansas are $44,060/year, -26% below the national median of $59,530. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Kansas has 15 registered apprenticeship sponsors for firefighter listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3.4% job growth for firefighters nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 27,100 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Kansas-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Kansas Wage Spread

Annual wages for Firefighters in Kansas across all experience levels.

10th pct
$31,030
Median
$44,060
90th pct
$76,390
Middle 50% of workers earn $38,110$57,350

Current Firefighter Apprenticeship Openings in Kansas

No firefighter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Kansas. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Firefighter Apprenticeship Sponsors in Kansas

15 firefighter-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Kansas. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current firefighter apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
Andover Fire Department Andover
Arkansas City Fire Department Arkansas City
Augusta Fire Department Augusta
Clay Center Fire Department Clay Center
Ford County Fire & EMS Dodge City
Ft Riley Fire and Emergency Services Ft Riley
Great Bend Fire Department Great Bend
Hutchinson Fire Department Hutchinson
Iola Fire Department Iola
Junction City Fire Junction City
Larned Fire Department Larned
Newton Fire/EMS Department Newton
Overland Park Fire Department Overland Park
Sedgwick County Fire Department Park City
Winfield Fire Department Winfield
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Firefighter openings

Filter by occupation code 33-2011 and state KS for the most relevant results.

Firefighter Apprenticeship in Kansas

Kansas has 15 registered sponsors our directory identifies as Firefighter-adjacent — a functional apprenticeship pipeline concentrated in metro areas. Union locals and joint apprenticeship committees account for most placements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Firefighters earn in Kansas?
The median annual wage for Firefighters in Kansas is $44,060 as of May 2024. Wages range from $31,030 at the 10th percentile to $76,390 at the 90th percentile.
How many years does it take to become a Firefighter through apprenticeship?
Most Firefighter apprenticeships run 2 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Firefighters?
An apprenticeship lets you earn while you learn over 2 years with no tuition cost. Trade school is faster (6–24 months) but costs money upfront. Both can lead to the same journeyman credential.
How do I find a Firefighter apprenticeship in Kansas?
Contact one of the 15 Firefighter-adjacent registered sponsors in Kansas (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
Do Firefighter apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Kansas, a first-year Firefighter apprentice might earn around $22,030/yr (roughly half the $44,060 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 2-year program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Firefighters also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 36 Fire Protection programs nationwide →
Too few Kansas-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Firefighter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Kansas

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.