Firefighter Apprenticeship in Minnesota

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.

MN Median Salary
$41,990/yr
-29% vs. national
National Median
$59,530/yr
MN Employment
4,890
Firefighters employed
MN Sponsors
2
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 Minnesota: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered firefighter apprenticeship in Minnesota 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.

Minnesota pay vs. national

Median firefighter wages in Minnesota are $41,990/year, -29% below the national median of $59,530. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Minnesota has 2 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 — Minnesota-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Minnesota Wage Spread

Annual wages for Firefighters in Minnesota across all experience levels.

10th pct
$29,040
Median
$41,990
90th pct
$72,970
Middle 50% of workers earn $37,030$60,040

Current Firefighter Apprenticeship Openings in Minnesota

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

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

Organization City County
Frontier Fire New Brighton
ST PAUL FIRE DEPARTMENT St Paul Ramsey County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Firefighter openings

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

Firefighter Apprenticeship in Minnesota

With 2 trade-specific sponsors in our directory, Minnesota's Firefighter apprenticeship landscape is limited. Candidates should also consider nearby states or contact national union offices for referrals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Firefighters make in Minnesota?
Firefighters in Minnesota earn a median salary of $41,990/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is below the national median of $59,530 for the trade.
How long is a Firefighter apprenticeship?
Most Firefighter apprenticeships run 2 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
Should I do a Firefighter apprenticeship or go to trade school?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Firefighters, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
How do I find a Firefighter apprenticeship in Minnesota?
Our directory surfaces 2 Firefighter-related registered sponsors in Minnesota. Start with your local trade union hall, joint apprenticeship committee (JAC), or state apprenticeship agency. You can also search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP.
Do Firefighter apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Minnesota, a first-year Firefighter apprentice might earn around $20,995/yr (roughly half the $41,990 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 Minnesota-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Firefighter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Minnesota

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