Largest stipend increase
+$4,200 Hazard Pay
West Coast wildland teams raised annual stipends to cover deployment rotations.
2025 salary editionRefreshed quarterly
Firefighter Salary Guide by Rank & State
Track firefighter pay across the United States. Compare base wages, overtime, benefits, and promotion impacts to build competitive compensation plans or plan your next career move.
National snapshot
Compensation momentum remains strong across metro agencies.
Aggregated from 182 union contracts, payroll releases, and state labor filings.
National median base pay
$59,530
+3.8% YoY
Average overtime earnings
$8,940
+5.9% YoY
States benchmarked
50 + D.C.
Updated Jan 2025
Departments indexed
182
+27 new agencies
Salary by firefighter rank
Base pay accelerates quickly after the first five years in the service. Overtime accounts for 8-18% of total compensation depending on staffing levels and deployment assignments.
Analyst note
Departments offering ALS stipends add $4K-$7K in specialty pay for Firefighter/Paramedic positions, often boosting them above Driver/Engineer figures.
| Rank | Median base pay | 90th percentile | Entry level | Average overtime | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Chief | $135,200 | $178,400 | $118,500 | $14,900 | View salary |
| Assistant / Deputy Chief | $118,900 | $158,200 | $102,400 | $12,100 | View salary |
| Battalion Chief | $109,600 | $146,900 | $94,200 | $10,400 | View salary |
| Captain | $96,800 | $123,600 | $82,400 | $8,900 | View salary |
| Lieutenant | $86,300 | $109,800 | $73,100 | $7,600 | View salary |
| Driver / Engineer | $74,900 | $97,500 | $63,200 | $6,400 | View salary |
| Firefighter / Paramedic | $65,800 | $84,400 | $55,100 | $5,300 | View salary |
| Probationary Firefighter | $52,900 | $63,500 | $46,800 | $3,800 | View salary |
Figures include gross base pay and reported guaranteed overtime differentials. Overtime averages reflect 2024 payroll disclosures.
Focus a state salary ladder
Choose a state to see rank-by-rank pay. Data blends union contracts, state payroll filings, and budget supplements released within the past 12 months.
| Rank | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Overtime share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Chief | $189,200 | $214,500 | $239,800 | 11% |
| Assistant / Deputy Chief | $149,800 | $163,800 | $182,400 | 8% |
| Battalion Chief | $134,200 | $152,400 | $171,000 | 14% |
| Captain | $118,900 | $134,600 | $149,800 | 16% |
| Lieutenant | $102,400 | $118,900 | $134,500 | 16% |
| Driver / Engineer | $99,500 | $114,800 | $129,500 | 17% |
| Firefighter / Paramedic | $84,900 | $98,700 | $115,200 | 18% |
| Probationary Firefighter | $70,900 | $87,400 | $98,200 | 18% |
Compensation trends shaping 2025 budgets
Departments build in retention bonuses, hazard pay, and tuition reimbursements to stay competitive. These insights highlight where the biggest moves are happening.
Strongest union contract
IAFF Local 112 City of Los Angeles
Secured 4.5% general raise plus $2,500 retention bonus through 2026.
Rapid overtime growth
+18% in Gulf Coast metros
Hurricane deployments and mutual aid assignments drove additional premium pay.
Education incentives
$300-$600 per credit hour
College completion bonuses spread to 23 new departments this contract cycle.
Benefits beyond base pay
Base salary is only one piece of firefighter compensation. Review the benefits that push total compensation upward and differentiate departments during recruitment.
Retirement & pension
Defined benefit plans remain the cornerstone of firefighter compensation.
- Average 2.5% multiplier per year of service (25-year retirement at 62.5%).
- DROP programs offer lump-sum accrual for senior command staff.
- State-backed pension guarantees in 32 states reduce investment volatility exposure.
Health & wellness
Agencies expand coverage to include behavioral health and cancer screenings.
- Line-of-duty cancer presumption laws now active in 46 states.
- Peer support and clinician-staffed wellness programs covered as premium benefits.
- Comprehensive family coverage with average employee contributions under 12%.
Incentives & specialty pay
Supplemental pay boosts total compensation beyond base salary.
- ALS certification stipends average $4,500 annually.
- Technical rescue, hazmat, and dive team incentives range from 5-12% of base.
- Bilingual pay offered in 41 major departments to support community outreach.
Frequently asked salary questions
Use these answers to brief HR partners, union members, and recruits on the latest compensation policies.
How often is salary data updated?
We refresh base and overtime figures quarterly using payroll disclosures, union contracts, and Bureau of Labor Statistics releases. Any mid-contract raises are added as soon as official documents publish.
Do volunteer firefighters get paid?
Volunteer departments typically provide stipends, per-call pay, or pension points rather than hourly wages. Many states also fund tuition reimbursement and tax credits for volunteer responders.
What drives overtime for firefighters?
Minimum staffing requirements, large-scale incidents, and training assignments create overtime. Departments with wildfire deployments or hurricane response task forces see the highest overtime percentages.
Which certifications increase firefighter pay?
Paramedic licenses, Fire Officer I/II, Inspector, and technical rescue technician credentials often include specialty pay. Bachelor's and master's degrees also unlock educational stipends in many metro agencies.
How do pensions affect take-home pay?
Most pensions deduct 8-11% pre-tax from paychecks. Employers match or exceed contributions, and many unions negotiate COLA adjustments to protect post-retirement income.
Related salary resources
Expand your research with guides covering ranks, training, and department profiles connected to compensation outcomes.
Understand how responsibilities change across the rank ladder and why pay bands shift.
Explore guideCertification roadmap for promotions that impact compensation bands.
Explore guideCompare staffing, apparatus, and budget data that influence salary scales.
Explore guideStep-by-step hiring guide covering exams, academy life, and probation expectations.
Explore guideSee how departments fund gear stipends and uniform replacements.
Explore guideDownload the full 48-page briefing with metro-by-metro comparisons.
Explore guideBuild a salary binder your crews and councils trust
Get the printable salary toolkit with negotiation talking points, cost-of-living adjustments, and step raise calculators.
- ✓State-by-state salary ladder poster
- ✓Union negotiation checklist template
- ✓Metro cost-of-living adjustment calculator
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