Fire alarm technician pay by level and state (BLS data)

For SOC 49-2098, United States, May 2025, the national median was $28.88 an hour, or $60,070 annually. This is occupation-wide pay. The BLS profile does not separate NICET certification levels, so it cannot establish a Level II salary or a raise for moving to Level III. BLS occupation profile.

Which workers and reference date does this cover?

The occupation is SOC 49-2098, Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers. It includes installing, programming, maintaining and repairing both security and fire alarm wiring and equipment. It excludes electricians doing a broad range of wiring. The category therefore extends beyond fire alarm specialists and is not a survey of NICET holders alone.

All wage figures below use May 2025 estimates, released 15 May 2026, retrieved 17 Oct 2026. The reference month describes the data; the release year describes when BLS published them. These are not estimates of October pay. See the BLS release and OEWS tables.

National pay: median, average and range

The following are national estimates for SOC 49-2098, United States, May 2025. Each link opens the BLS OEWS occupation profile:

• Median: $28.88 hourly; $60,070 annually. BLS OEWS, U.S., May 2025.
• Mean, or average: $29.31 hourly; $60,960 annually. BLS OEWS, U.S., May 2025.
• 25th percentile: $22.99 hourly; $47,820 annually. BLS OEWS, U.S., May 2025.
• 75th percentile: $35.43 hourly; $73,690 annually. BLS OEWS, U.S., May 2025.

The median is the midpoint of the wage distribution. The percentile figures describe wage boundaries, not experience bands. Do not relabel the lower percentile as Level I pay or the upper percentile as Level IV pay. BLS's OEWS definitions explain the distinction between averages and percentiles.

States with the highest annual average pay

These are the five highest state annual mean wages in the SOC 49-2098, May 2025 profile. The area for each estimate is the named state:

• Massachusetts: $78,560. BLS OEWS profile, top-paying states, May 2025.
• Oregon: $74,760. BLS OEWS profile, top-paying states, May 2025.
• Washington: $73,800. BLS OEWS profile, top-paying states, May 2025.
• California: $71,000. BLS OEWS profile, top-paying states, May 2025.
• Connecticut: $69,120. BLS OEWS profile, top-paying states, May 2025.

Source: BLS OEWS profile, annual mean wage by state, retrieved 17 Oct 2026. This is a highest-average shortlist, not a complete state directory. Use the state estimates to look up another location.

Compare those averages with the national mean, rather than the national median. A state average is not an offer for a particular city, contractor or role. Before using it to consider a move, compare local vacancies and living costs. Ask whether the advertised amount is base pay or includes extra hours and allowances.

NICET levels describe responsibility, not a pay scale

NICET describes increasing responsibility in its Fire Alarm Systems candidate handbook. Each level below gives the handbook's duties, what the BLS data does and does not say, and what to ask an employer. The BLS benchmark for every level is the same occupation-wide band: a median of $60,070 a year, with a 25th to 75th percentile range of $47,820 to $73,690 (SOC 49-2098, May 2025).

NICET Level I salary

Level I is a technician trainee working under supervision. The cited BLS release has no Level I figure, and the 25th percentile is not a Level I wage. Ask what the trainee rate is, what training is paid, and which duties and pay band change once you hold Level II. The Level I requirements post explains how to qualify with no experience.

NICET Level II salary

Level II is routine work with limited supervision, including basic installation, maintenance, troubleshooting or technical documentation. The cited BLS release has no Level II figure, so the median is a starting benchmark and not a Level II wage. Ask which duties, hours and pay band come with the certificate. The Level II requirements post lists the experience NICET asks for.

NICET Level III salary

Level III is technical work with responsibility for layout, supervision and interaction with authorities having jurisdiction. The cited BLS release has no Level III figure, and the 75th percentile is not a Level III wage. Ask whether the role carries layout sign-off or crew leadership, and how the pay band changes with it. The Level III requirements post covers the experience, and Level III vs Level IV compares the two senior levels on duties and fees.

NICET Level IV salary

Level IV is senior responsibility for complex systems, multiple projects, programs and training. The cited BLS release has no Level IV figure either. Ask who you would oversee, which projects you would own, and how the offer reflects that scope.

These descriptions help you compare duties with a vacancy. They do not supply a wage scale, and the cited OEWS release has no NICET-level pay breakdown. To evaluate a certification-linked raise, ask an employer which duties and pay band would change when you earn the credential. Keep that employer's answer separate from the BLS benchmark. To weigh pay against exam cost and effort, read whether NICET fire alarm certification is worth it.

Compare an offer on the same basis

OEWS measures straight-time gross wages. Its definitions exclude overtime pay, on-call pay and shift differentials. Annual estimates assume a full-time, year-round schedule of 2,080 hours. They are not a promise of that many paid hours or a measure of take-home income. BLS OEWS FAQs.

Write down the base rate, expected hours, callout arrangements, benefits and travel expectations for each offer. Also clarify who pays for exams, references and study time; our guide for employers outlines a way to plan prep with a team. To make the ask, bring a printed NICET cost estimate with each fee for your level. That gives you a more useful comparison than a headline annual amount alone.

New to the trade? How to become a fire alarm technician lays out the entry path, and the state license rules table shows where a NICET level is required. For certification planning, return to the Alarm Ladder overview, then read the Level I guide, Level II guide or Level III exam guide. The NICET exam fees guide shows what each level costs to certify. Use the free Level II check to identify study priorities when that is the exam you are preparing for.

FAQ

How much more does a NICET Level II technician earn?

The cited BLS data cannot establish a NICET Level II wage premium because they do not separate workers by certification level. Ask the employer which duties and pay band change with certification, and keep that offer separate from the occupational benchmark.

What does a NICET Level 1 technician make?

The cited BLS data has no figure for NICET Level I, so we do not give one. The occupation-wide median is $60,070 a year, but that mixes every experience level and both security and fire alarm work. Ask the employer for the trainee rate and what changes at Level II.

What does a NICET Level 3 technician make?

The cited BLS data has no figure for NICET Level III, so we do not give one. The occupation-wide median is $60,070 a year and the 75th percentile is $73,690, but neither is a Level III wage. Ask whether the role includes layout, supervision and dealing with authorities having jurisdiction, and how the pay band reflects it. See Level III vs Level IV for the duties.

Are the state figures take-home pay?

No, OEWS reports gross wages before deductions. Compare base pay, overtime arrangements, benefits and travel separately when evaluating an offer.

Sources

Show the list

• OEWS occupation profile: Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers, SOC 49-2098, May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
• Occupational Employment and Wages: May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, released 15 May 2026. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
• OEWS Tables, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
• May 2025 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
• OEWS Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
• Fire Alarm Systems Candidate Handbook, NICET, August 2026 edition. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.