Fire Alarm Designer Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Fire Alarm Designer in the United States was $76,870 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $61,430 and $96,730.
Closest proxy Our title "Fire Alarm Designer" is reported by BLS as SOC 17-3012 Electrical and Electronics Drafters. Closest proxy: Electrical and Electronics Drafters. This published occupation covers only part of Fire Alarm Designer; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role.
Annual wages
Fire Alarm Designer, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $50,040, half earned less than the median of $76,870, 90% earned less than $120,290 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,040 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $61,430 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $76,870 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $96,730 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $120,290 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $81,280 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Fire Alarm Designer, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $24.06, half earned less than the median of $36.96, 90% earned less than $57.83 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24.06 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $29.53 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $36.96 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $46.50 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $57.83 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $39.08 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 17,920 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-3012 Electrical and Electronics Drafters, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $65,020 | $51,150 to $77,680 | 130 | 0.39 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $66,910 | $52,000 to $79,400 | 130 | 0.76 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $75,030 | $58,270 to $90,240 | 150 | 0.93 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $81,960 | $77,720 to $95,130 | 190 | 2.18 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,830 | $65,820 to $99,600 | 580 | 0.53 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,830 | $65,820 to $99,600 | 580 | 0.53 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $83,100 | $63,330 to $96,730 | 720 | 1.55 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $79,160 | $60,260 to $99,870 | 460 | 1.22 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $69,500 | $62,820 to $96,540 | 140 | 0.27 |
How does Fire Alarm Designer pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 17-3012, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $86,590 | Annual | 2,050 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $86,590 | Annual | 2,050 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $83,190 | Annual | 1,900 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $87,760 | Annual | 150 |
| Construction | 23 | $72,160 | Annual | 3,860 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $116,320 | Annual | 50 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $116,320 | Annual | 50 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $62,180 | Annual | 340 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $62,180 | Annual | 340 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $73,360 | Annual | 3,470 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $73,370 | Annual | 3,470 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $74,190 | Annual | 4,100 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $45,650 | Annual | 50 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $73,290 | Annual | 120 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $74,580 | Annual | 90 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $63,430 | Annual | 480 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $63,460 | Annual | 390 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $63,430 | Annual | 60 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $86,330 | Annual | 2,070 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | $98,240 | Annual | 80 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 334200 | $85,070 | Annual | 110 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 334400 | $98,820 | Annual | 1,120 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $81,730 | Annual | 720 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 335000 | $65,940 | Annual | 860 |
| Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 335100 | $62,810 | Annual | 130 |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 335300 | $66,050 | Annual | 430 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | $70,750 | Annual | 270 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $66,980 | Annual | 380 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $93,550 | Annual | 40 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $98,760 | Annual | 100 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $55,380 | Annual | 80 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $53,020 | Annual | 50 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $78,150 | Annual | 6,250 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $78,150 | Annual | 6,250 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $77,730 | Annual | 5,240 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $60,080 | Annual | 140 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $74,800 | Annual | 260 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $75,960 | Annual | 180 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $120,520 | Annual | 390 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $108,900 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $108,910 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Fire Protection Foreman (47-1011)Low Voltage Foreman (47-1011)Fire Protection Superintendent (11-9021)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Electrical and Electronics Drafters. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $115,530 | 480 | 3.65 | 1.37 |
| Boulder, CO | $103,910 | 40 | 1.65 | 1.49 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $102,810 | 160 | 7.05 | 1.82 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $100,420 | 100 | 1.47 | 1.68 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $100,090 | 30 | 1.05 | 2.16 |
| Anchorage, AK | $98,920 | 60 | 3.17 | 1.64 |
| Worcester, MA | $98,610 | 70 | 1.71 | 1.71 |
| Boise City, ID | $97,550 | 80 | 1.81 | 1.99 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $90,360 | 40 | 0.76 | 1.47 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $87,010 | 250 | 0.76 | 1.70 |
| Cleveland, OH | $62,710 | 70 | 0.6 | 1.25 |
| Richmond, VA | $62,100 | 40 | 0.54 | 1.21 |
| New Haven, CT | $61,690 | 40 | 1.14 | 1.03 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $58,230 | 90 | 2.64 | 1.21 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $57,860 | 40 | 0.47 | 1.17 |
| Wichita, KS | $57,650 | 40 | 1.15 | 1.21 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $56,180 | 130 | 2.32 | 1.13 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $55,110 | 120 | 1.53 | 1.87 |
| Birmingham, AL | $53,490 | 80 | 1.35 | 1.12 |
| Huntsville, AL | $53,070 | 70 | 2.38 | 1.03 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Fire Alarm Designer in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Fire Alarm Designer in National, the published median for SOC 17-3012, Electrical and Electronics Drafters, is $76,870 per year. The middle half of the Fire Alarm Designer in National wage distribution runs from $61,430 to $96,730, a width of $35,300 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Fire Alarm Designer comparison, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $77,630 per year while Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX reports $83,100 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Fire Alarm Designer figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Electrical and Electronics Drafters, read alongside Fire Alarm Designer in National, are Scientific Research and Development Services at $120,520 per year (NAICS 541700); Construction of Buildings at $116,320 per year (NAICS 236000); Nonresidential Building Construction at $116,320 per year (NAICS 236200). Those Fire Alarm Designer in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Fire Alarm Designer in National median was $73,720 per year in May 2024, compared with $76,870 in May 2025, a published difference of $3,150. That Fire Alarm Designer in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $73,720 and $76,870 Fire Alarm Designer in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $76,870 per year for Fire Alarm Designer in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Fire Alarm Designer in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Fire Alarm Designer in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Fire Alarm Designer in National is proxy: Closest proxy: Electrical and Electronics Drafters; This published occupation covers only part of Fire Alarm Designer; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role. For a Fire Alarm Designer in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Fire Alarm Designer in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Fire Alarm Designer in National buyer?
Fire Alarm Designer in National has a published middle-half band of $61,430 to $96,730, a width of $35,300 per year, with median $76,870. An offer inside that Fire Alarm Designer in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Fire Alarm Designer in National?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Fire Alarm Designer in National. Comparing those Electrical and Electronics Drafters tables with the $76,870 Fire Alarm Designer in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Fire Alarm Designer in National?
Fire Alarm Designer in National uses national industry rows for SOC 17-3012, not local sector-specific wages. Scientific Research and Development Services leads the selected sortable rows at $120,520 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Fire Alarm Designer in National.
What changed between the releases for Fire Alarm Designer in National?
Fire Alarm Designer in National moved from $73,720 in May 2024 to $76,870 in May 2025. These Fire Alarm Designer in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 17-3012. Published annual median: $73,720 (May 2024) and $76,870 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.