Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician as its own occupation, so this page uses Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (SOC 49-2098, closest proxy). The median annual wage in the United States was $60,070 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $47,820 to $73,690.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
Closest proxy
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,800 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $47,820 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $60,070 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $73,690 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $81,150 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $60,960 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.65 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $22.99 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $28.88 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $35.43 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $39.01 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $29.31 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages include: base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. What they leave out: overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 49-2098 Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers, United States. View this release at BLS.
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $60,070 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 1.18 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 20,830 | 24.1% | $60,050 | $47,180 to $76,610 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 238210 | 14,820 | 17.2% | $58,130 | $47,180 to $76,090 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 5,930 | 6.9% | $62,330 | $51,760 to $77,820 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | 210 | 0.2% | $45,800 | $36,710 to $58,110 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 160 | 0.2% | $79,140 | $64,810 to $92,430 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 40 | 0.0% | $95,190 | $90,870 to $99,910 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 30 | 0.0% | $62,500 | $47,840 to $78,060 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $66,790 | $58,030 to $79,510 | 1,610 | 0.92 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $57,930 | $45,350 to $62,260 | 3,550 | 1.58 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $60,750 | $48,770 to $75,100 | 1,730 | 1.31 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $58,990 | $46,890 to $62,520 | 1,380 | 0.86 |
| Columbus, OH | $63,060 | $57,590 to $73,110 | 490 | 0.8 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,310 | $47,670 to $77,590 | 1,510 | 0.6 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $81,980 | $74,110 to $97,920 | 320 | 0.5 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,630 | $59,140 to $100,180 | 730 | 1.08 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 203 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $81,980 | 320 | 0.5 |
| 2 | Salem, OR | $81,500 | 70 | 0.69 |
| 3 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $81,340 | 30 | 0.78 |
| 4 | Worcester, MA | $80,480 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 5 | Anchorage, AK | $79,870 | 100 | 1.02 |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $79,350 | 1,030 | 0.78 |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $78,560 | 1,330 | 0.89 |
| 8 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,630 | 730 | 1.08 |
| 9 | Vallejo, CA | $76,390 | 70 | 0.92 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $75,910 | 1,000 | 0.87 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 194 | Fayetteville, NC | $46,450 | 60 | 0.84 |
| 195 | Wilmington, NC | $46,260 | 190 | 1.77 |
| 196 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $45,740 | 40 | 0.33 |
| 197 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $45,210 | 150 | 0.9 |
| 198 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $45,190 | 60 | 1.19 |
| 199 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $44,610 | 50 | 0.62 |
| 200 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $41,660 | 60 | 1.17 |
| 201 | Laredo, TX | $39,800 | 50 | 0.88 |
| 202 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $36,460 | 70 | 2.07 |
| 203 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $29,490 | 490 | 1.28 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | $81,500 | $55,310 | 1.47 times | 70 | 0.69 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $58,450 | $39,740 | 1.47 times | 40 | 1.34 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $69,690 | $47,520 | 1.47 times | 60 | 0.69 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $64,660 | $45,810 | 1.41 times | 30 | 0.38 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $81,340 | $57,640 | 1.41 times | 30 | 0.78 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $75,350 | $53,680 | 1.40 times | 360 | 0.9 |
| El Paso, TX | $55,420 | $39,510 | 1.40 times | 480 | 2.55 |
| Springfield, MA | $72,280 | $51,930 | 1.39 times | 90 | 0.84 |
| Worcester, MA | $80,480 | $57,830 | 1.39 times | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Salisbury, MD | $67,510 | $48,710 | 1.39 times | 80 | 2.76 |
| Salinas, CA | $63,980 | $47,380 | 1.35 times | 40 | 0.39 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $51,140 | $37,930 | 1.35 times | 90 | 1.11 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $58,490 | $43,800 | 1.34 times | 40 | 0.47 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $64,550 | $48,400 | 1.33 times | 980 | 1.03 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $63,340 | $47,650 | 1.33 times | 60 | 0.63 |
| Anchorage, AK | $79,870 | $60,200 | 1.33 times | 100 | 1.02 |
| Birmingham, AL | $63,350 | $47,770 | 1.33 times | 610 | 2.13 |
| Charleston, WV | $60,440 | $45,830 | 1.32 times | 80 | 1.37 |
| Erie, PA | $58,610 | $44,460 | 1.32 times | 30 | 0.52 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $57,600 | $43,850 | 1.31 times | 30 | 0.73 |
| Monroe, LA | $50,090 | $38,150 | 1.31 times | 60 | 1.22 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $60,920 | $46,670 | 1.31 times | 970 | 1.54 |
| Vallejo, CA | $76,390 | $58,620 | 1.30 times | 70 | 0.92 |
| Jackson, TN | $58,310 | $44,790 | 1.30 times | 40 | 0.77 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $63,670 | $48,990 | 1.30 times | 110 | 0.71 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 49-2098 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $59,300 |
| May 2025 | $60,070 |
| Difference | +$770 (+1.3%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For an operations offer, check what the quoted pay already includes. BLS includes on-call pay but excludes shift differentials. Do not add on-call pay twice when comparing the offer.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call pay matters here | Included | BLS lists "on-call pay" and "hazardous-duty pay" as wages. |
| Overtime pay | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Recruiter's read
Qualitative, not from BLS data.
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician candidates are usually screened on nICET Fire Alarm Systems Level II or higher; clean agent, pre-action and aspirating smoke detection systems; state fire alarm license where required.
We usually find them through fire alarm and sprinkler contractors; life safety service firms; military damage control and fire protection. We contact working people directly rather than relying on job applications.
Questions
What is the median pay for Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician?
The BLS median annual wage for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers nationally is $60,070 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $47,820 to $73,690, and 10% earned less than $38,800.
Is this the exact job title?
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 86,340 jobs nationally in Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
They leave out overtime, shift differentials, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation. Base pay, guaranteed pay, on-call pay and production-based incentive pay are included.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
Related
- Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician recruiting
- UPS and Critical Power Technician (site-based) salary
- Switchgear and Electrical Distribution Technician salary
- Fuel Systems Technician (diesel storage, day tanks, fuel polishing) salary
- Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician salary
- Liquid Cooling Technician (CDU and secondary loops) salary
- Open data center jobs
- Methodology
What the published rows say about Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States is represented here by Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers, SOC 49-2098, in the May 2025 OEWS release. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, data Center Headhunters uses the proxy crosswalk for this title; the occupation row, rather than a separate survey of Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician, supplies the figures on this page. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, the published annual median is $60,070 and the middle-half endpoints are $47,820 and $73,690.
The Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States middle-half band spans $25,870 on the annual basis. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, its lower quarter-to-median distance is $12,250, compared with $13,620 from the median to the upper quarter. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, the upper interval is at least as wide as the other interval in this row. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, for an offer against this Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician crosswalk, these are published reference points, not experience grades; the width does not establish a reason for differences between individual workers.
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States can also be compared with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where the annual median for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is $59,280 in May 2025. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, the Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician crosswalk comparison differs by $790 from the the United States median.
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States can also be compared with Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, where the annual median for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is $57,930 in May 2025. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, the Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician crosswalk comparison differs by $2,140 from the the United States median.
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States has no local industry-by-occupation wage breakdown in the loaded OEWS rows. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, the highest published national industry medians loaded for SOC 49-2098 are Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services at $95,190 and Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing at $91,330. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, these May 2025 observations describe the national Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers occupation in those industries, not the pay of data center employers in the United States; they cannot support a local industry ranking.
The Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States matched median changed from $59,300 in May 2024 to $60,070 in May 2025, a difference of $770 up. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, both observations use SOC 49-2098, area code 99 and the same annual wage basis. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, this Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician comparison reports the released values without adjusting for inflation, annualizing the change or attributing it to a particular employer.
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States uses the OEWS straight-time wage definition, not a complete cost-to-employ budget. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, for an offer mapped to Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers, separate overtime, shift differentials and expense reimbursements from the annual figures for the United States; BLS excludes those categories. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, on-call pay, guaranteed pay and production incentives are included under the wage definition. For Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States, no Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician-specific per diem, travel allowance or relocation amount is observed in this row, so this May 2025 page adds no dollar allowance on top.
Questions about Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States?
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician is mapped to SOC 49-2098, Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers; the May 2025 the United States annual median is $60,070. The mapping is proxy, not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the the United States figure show all offer costs for Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician?
Fire Alarm and Suppression Technician pay in the United States uses straight-time OEWS wages. Overtime and shift differentials are excluded; on-call and guaranteed pay are included. No allowance for travel or relocation is added to this 49-2098 observation.
- fire alarm and suppression technician new york newark jersey city ny nj
- fire alarm and suppression technician dallas fort worth arlington tx
- fire alarm and suppression technician
- fire alarm and suppression technician
- methodology
Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.