Fire Chief Salary (2025)
Fire Chiefs serve as chief executives, managing full departmental strategy, budgets, and public safety coordination. Compensation combines base pay, performance incentives, and executive benefits.
- $164,100Median total comp
- 1,250 career personnelAverage department size
- $7,800 annually (avg)Vehicle allowance
- 3–5 year terms commonContract length
Where Fire Chiefs earn the most
Coastal metros with strong union contracts, specialty team incentives, and cost-of-living adjustments lead compensation. Use these comparables to inform negotiations and career moves.
Top-paying states pair higher base wages with large overtime budgets. Consider total compensation, not just salary, when benchmarking offers.
90th percentile $239,800
Los Angeles Metro · Executive contracts include COLA, housing, and wildfire stipends.
View state ladder90th percentile $224,900
New York City Metro · Large city chiefs manage multi-billion dollar budgets.
90th percentile $208,400
Houston & Dallas · Merit pay, retention bonuses, and relocation packages.
View state ladderSalary by state
Compare compensation across leading states. Bars show median base pay; hover notes capture overtime share and hiring highlights.
Executive contract includes housing stipend
Contract renewal with performance incentive
Mayor-appointed position with retention bonus
Contract includes hurricane activation stipend
City council confirmation required
Public safety cabinet-level appointment
Career responsibilities
Chief executive leadership
- Set department vision, strategic plan, and policy direction in collaboration with city leadership.
- Manage multi-million dollar budgets, capital projects, and resource allocation.
- Serve as public face of the department, coordinating media, community engagement, and inter-agency partnerships.
- Direct emergency management coordination, NIMS compliance, and large-scale incident command.
Frequently asked questions
Use these talking points during budget presentations, union briefings, or career counseling sessions.
Are fire chief salaries negotiated?
Fire chiefs typically have employment contracts negotiated with city managers or councils, detailing base pay, incentives, and evaluation criteria.
Do chiefs earn bonuses?
Performance bonuses (2–5%) are common in large cities, tied to response benchmarks, accreditation, or strategic plan milestones.
Is relocation assistance provided?
Executive relocation packages, housing stipends, or mortgage assistance are common when recruiting chiefs nationally.
Sources & citations
Each data point references an official contract, pay plan, or survey. Cite these documents when validating compensation budgets.
- International City/County Management Association – Fire Chief Salary Survey · 2024 Executive Compensation Survey
- Los Angeles City Fire Department Executive Contract · Adopted Oct 2024
- FDNY Leadership Announcement · January 2024
Get the Fire Chief compensation toolkit
Download the salary ladder, negotiation checklist, and promotion readiness sheet for Fire Chiefs nationwide.
- ✓Printable salary chart with percentile and overtime benchmarks
- ✓Promotion checklist with certification timelines
- ✓Overtime planning worksheet for budget presentations
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