Firefighter Apprenticeship in Ohio

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.

OH Median Salary
$59,470/yr
-0% vs. national
National Median
$59,530/yr
OH Employment
18,750
Firefighters employed
OH Sponsors
6
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 Ohio: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered firefighter apprenticeship in Ohio 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.

Ohio pay vs. national

Median firefighter wages in Ohio are $59,470/year, -0% below the national median of $59,530. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Ohio has 6 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 — Ohio-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Ohio Wage Spread

Annual wages for Firefighters in Ohio across all experience levels.

10th pct
$35,420
Median
$59,470
90th pct
$87,160
Middle 50% of workers earn $43,850$74,180

Current Firefighter Apprenticeship Openings in Ohio

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

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

Organization City County
AKRON FIRE DEPT. TRAINING DEPT. Akron Summit County
CINCINNATI FIRE DEPARTMENT Cincinnati Hamilton County
CLEVELAND FIRE DEPT. Cleveland Cuyahoga County
City of Columbus - Division of Fire Columbus Franklin County
Whitewater Township Fire/EMS Hooven
MARION FIRE DEPT Marion Marion County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Firefighter openings

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

Firefighter Apprenticeship in Ohio

The 6 Firefighter-related registered sponsors in Ohio mean apprenticeship programs exist but aren't abundant. Building relationships with local contractors and trade unions is often more effective than waiting for formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Firefighters make in Ohio?
Firefighters in Ohio earn a median salary of $59,470/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is below the national median of $59,530 for the trade.
How many years does it take to become a Firefighter through apprenticeship?
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.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Firefighters?
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.
Where can I apply for a Firefighter apprenticeship in Ohio?
Our directory surfaces 6 Firefighter-related registered sponsors in Ohio. 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 Ohio, a first-year Firefighter apprentice might earn around $29,735/yr (roughly half the $59,470 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 Fire Protection programs in Ohio →
Or see all 36 programs nationwide.

Firefighter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Ohio

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