I must admit, the title is a misnomer. To clarify, this article is about the best paying jobs in Nevada’s public sector. That is to say, this includes a combination of local, county and state positions. The economy of Nevada is in dire straits. It has a deficit approaching $900M. The wage information I am about to share with you is 2008 data and is provided by the Governor’s office in an effort to be honest with the taxpayers of how the tax dollars are spent.
Of the 89, 681 government workers, half of the top 10 best paying jobs are firefighters. The highest paying job is a Fire Battalion Chief, who makes a startling $643,511.82 per year in Clark County. The other half of the best paying jobs in Nevada’s public sector is made up of attorneys (3), a Court Executive Officer and the Director of Aviation. The average salary is $440,000. In reviewing just the first page of these robust paying public sector positions, which includes the entire top 100, a whopping 74% are firefighters. The average compensation is $260k per year.
Certainly, these brave souls earn every dollar. They put themselves in harm’s way by running into burning buildings, administering CPR to the frail, and saving scared little kittens trapped at the tips tall trees. They do work long hours. Shifts run in 24 hour increments. They pass the time, while waiting for the alarm to sound, inside their antiquated fire stations with gourmet kitchens, flat screen televisions and leather couches. The departments promote from within, which means once you are in the system, you can expect a long and prosperous career. Looking closer at the numbers, there is one position that stands out. This is the position of Firefighter II. In 2008, there were 299 of these positions filled. The average compensation package was a comfortable $150k per year. Interestingly enough, these positions are only available in Clark County.
To go a step further, there were 168 Fire Captains in 2008. The average compensation for these fine community citizens approached $200k per year. Almost all of these positions were also located in Clark County. What exactly goes into overall compensation? Great question! In reviewing this data, health insurance is not factored in. Factors do include longevity pay, vehicle allowance, clothing allowance, boot allowance, tool allowance, incentive pay, sellbacks, standby and final separation pay.
All in all, being a firefighter in Nevada seems to be a pretty good gig. Yet, if fighting fires and taking the risk of the ultimate sacrifice is not your cup of tea, you can always consider other best paying jobs in the forms of Court Executive Officer, Attorney or Director of Aviation.
Please check back soon for upcoming articles on best paying jobs in other areas. This will be a regular series and I look forward to sharing more information with you.
