Firefighter Apprenticeship in Massachusetts

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.

MA Median Salary
$73,110/yr
+23% vs. national
National Median
$59,530/yr
MA Employment
11,910
Firefighters employed
MA 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 Massachusetts: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered firefighter apprenticeship in Massachusetts 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.

Massachusetts pay vs. national

Median firefighter wages in Massachusetts are $73,110/year, +23% above the national median of $59,530. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Massachusetts 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 — Massachusetts-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Massachusetts Wage Spread

Annual wages for Firefighters in Massachusetts across all experience levels.

10th pct
$47,330
Median
$73,110
90th pct
$98,610
Middle 50% of workers earn $61,930$80,480

Current Firefighter Apprenticeship Openings in Massachusetts

No firefighter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts

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

Organization City County
"TOWN OF CANTON FIRE DEPT." Canton
"TOWN OF CANTON, FIRE DEPT." Canton
FAIRHAVEN FIRE DEPARTMENT Fairhaven
Revere Fire Department Revere
"Sandwich Fire Dept." Sandwich
"TAUNTON FIRE DEPARTMENT" Taunton
"Tewksbury Fire Department" Tewksbury
"Wakefield Fire Department" Wakefield
"Waltham Fire Department" Waltham
"WELLESLEY FIRE DEPT." Wellesley
"WESTFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT" Westfield
"WEYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT" Weymouth
"WILMINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT" Wilmington
"Woburn Fire Dept." Woburn
"WORCESTER FIRE DEPARTMENT" Worcester
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Firefighter openings

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

Firefighter Apprenticeship in Massachusetts

Program availability in Massachusetts is moderate: 15 Firefighter-related sponsors in our directory. Candidates in major cities will find multiple options; those in smaller markets may need to commute or relocate within the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Firefighters make in Massachusetts?
Firefighters in Massachusetts earn a median salary of $73,110/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is above the national median of $59,530 for the trade.
What is the length of a Firefighter apprenticeship program?
A typical Firefighter apprenticeship lasts approximately 2 years (4,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
Should I do a Firefighter apprenticeship or go to trade school?
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 Massachusetts?
Contact one of the 15 Firefighter-adjacent registered sponsors in Massachusetts (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 Massachusetts, a first-year Firefighter apprentice might earn around $36,555/yr (roughly half the $73,110 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 Massachusetts-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Firefighter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Massachusetts

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