A wildland firefighter who uses helicopters to reach and attack new fires quickly, and who manages helicopter operations on the ground. BLS does not publish separate figures for firefighters; it counts them within firefighter (SOC 33-2011), whose median pay is $59,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 33-2011
- Protective Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Helitack Crew Member in four numbers
- Median pay
- $59,280a year, or $28.50/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $101K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 26,800355,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025355.3K
- Projected 2035368.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 355.3K Projected 2035 368.4K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Helitack Firefighter, Helicopter Crewmember, Helirappeller, Helicopter Manager, Helitack Squad Boss.
Pay
How much do Firefighters make?
Every helitack crew member in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$59,280
Middle half earn $44,490 to $77,250
- 10th
- $34,910
- 25th
- $44,490
- 75th
- $77,250
- 90th
- $101,040
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,910 |
| 25th | $44,490 |
| Median | $59,280 |
| 75th | $77,250 |
| 90th | $101,040 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $59,280
- Median hourly wage
- $28.50/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $63,630
- People employed
- 345,990
Versus all US occupations
At $59,280, Firefighters earn 16% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $8,300 a year.
Versus protective service occupations
Inside the Protective Service group, where the middle occupation pays $74,060, this is 20% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $101,040 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,910, a gap of 2.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 31% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $100,960, and still leads at $93,550 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Firefighters the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $100,960 | $93,550 | 12,950 |
| 2Washington | $94,520 | $88,326 | 7,560 |
| 3California | $85,120 | $76,879 | 31,470 |
| 4New Jersey | $84,130 | $77,322 | 7,500 |
| 5Illinois | $78,380 | $78,413 | 18,400 |
| 6Connecticut | $77,630 | $74,925 | 2,970 |
| 7District of Columbia | $75,870 | $69,035 | 1,480 |
| 8Colorado | $74,170 | $71,973 | 6,510 |
| 9Maryland | $73,810 | $70,323 | 5,340 |
| 10Pennsylvania | $73,460 | $75,288 | 5,020 |
Job outlook
Is Helitack Crew Member a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Firefighters | +3.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Firefighters to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 13,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 26,800 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 355,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Helitack Crew Member
Helitack positions usually require prior wildland fire experience on engines or handcrews. Crew members complete NWCG basic firefighting courses, pass the arduous Work Capacity Test, and take helicopter-specific courses such as Helicopter Crewmember (S-271). Operations follow the Interagency Helicopter Operations Guide.
Rappel crews add specialized rappel training and annual recertification. Experienced crew members can become helicopter managers, who supervise the crew and the aviation contract, and some move into broader aviation management roles in fire programs.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Helitack Crew Member do?
Helitack crews are wildland firefighters assigned to a helicopter. They fly to new fires for initial attack, then fight the fire with hand tools and water dropped from the helicopter's bucket. Some crews are trained to rappel from a hovering helicopter into terrain where it cannot land.
On the ground they run helicopter operations: setting up and managing helispots, rigging cargo nets and sling loads, calculating weight and balance for loads, and directing aircraft safely. They also support large fires with crew shuttles and water drops, and they help with search and rescue and medical evacuation when needed.
Day-to-day tasks
- Fly to new fires and conduct initial attack
- Rappel from helicopters into remote terrain on rappel crews
- Set up and manage helispots and landing zones
- Rig cargo nets and sling loads for transport
- Calculate helicopter load weight and balance
- Direct bucket drops and crew shuttles
- Assist with search and rescue and medical evacuations
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Helitack crews work from helibases and fly into remote fire areas, working in heat, smoke, rotor wash, and noise. Days are long during fire season and crews must be ready to launch quickly. The work is physically demanding and seasonal, with travel to fires in other regions.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.6
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Learning3.6
- Speaking3.5
- Monitoring3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Learning Strategies2.9
- Writing2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.9
- Service Orientation3.5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Time Management3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.9 |
| Service Orientation | 3.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Geographic information system
- Internet browser software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Helitack Crew Member?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RSC) built on O*NET's Firefighter profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Helitack Crew Member |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Realistic6.5
- Social4.1
- Conventional4.0
- Enterprising3.0
- Investigative2.9
- Artistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Helitack Crew Member
O*NET related occupations
- Protective Service
- Protective Service
First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
$93,530median a year
Most earn $53K to $140K
+3.7%Certificate - Protective Service
Forest Fire Inspector and Prevention Specialist
$56,870median a year
Most earn $35K to $105K
+13.1%High school - Protective Service
- Architecture and Engineering
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Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Worker
$33,580median a year
Most earn $26K to $44K
+5.5%No formal credential
More protective service careers
Median annual pay, with firefighters highlighted
- Detective and Criminal Investigator$93,790
- Intelligence Analyst$93,790
- Police Officer$76,210
- Custom and Border Protection Officer$76,210
- Firefighter$59,280
- Helitack Crew Member$59,280
- Correctional Officer and Jailer$58,940
- Private Detective and Investigator$51,220
- Security Guard$38,020
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $93,790 |
| Intelligence Analyst | $93,790 |
| Police Officer | $76,210 |
| Custom and Border Protection Officer | $76,210 |
| Firefighter | $59,280 |
| Helitack Crew Member | $59,280 |
| Correctional Officer and Jailer | $58,940 |
| Private Detective and Investigator | $51,220 |
| Security Guard | $38,020 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Helitack Crew Member appears on
Questions
Helitack Crew Member: frequently asked questions
How much do Firefighters make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for firefighters. It counts them within firefighter, whose median pay is $59,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $44,490 and $77,250, and the top 10% earn $101,040 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Helitack Crew Member?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Firefighters. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Helitack Crew Member a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 26,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Helitack Crew Member do?
Helitack crews are wildland firefighters assigned to a helicopter. A typical task: fly to new fires and conduct initial attack. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Firefighters the most?
The highest state medians for Firefighters are New York ($100,960), Washington ($94,520), California ($85,120) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Helitack Crew Member?
O*NET scores Firefighters highest on the Realistic, Social and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.