Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Firefighters
Find out which cities offer the best salaries for Firefighters. Data based on 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
Highest Paying City
$78,827
San Jose, CA
National Average
$57,420
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$60,593
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $78,827 | $37.90/hr | +37.3% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $76,839 | $36.94/hr | +33.8% | View Details |
| 3 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $69,361 | $33.35/hr | +20.8% | View Details |
| 4 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $68,475 | $32.92/hr | +19.3% | View Details |
| 5 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $65,627 | $31.55/hr | +14.3% | View Details |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $65,236 | $31.36/hr | +13.6% | View Details |
| 7 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $63,970 | $30.75/hr | +11.4% | View Details |
| 8 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $63,814 | $30.68/hr | +11.1% | View Details |
| 9 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $60,606 | $29.14/hr | +5.5% | View Details |
| 10 | Portland, OR Cost of Living: 118.8 | $60,593 | $29.13/hr | +5.5% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$79k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$77k
/year
New York, NY
$69k
/year
Seattle, WA
$68k
/year
Boston, MA
$66k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$65k
/year
San Diego, CA
$64k
/year
Washington, DC
$64k
/year
Denver, CO
$61k
/year
Portland, OR
$61k
/year
Chicago, IL
$60k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$60k
/year
Hartford, CT
$60k
/year
Austin, TX
$60k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$59k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$59k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$59k
/year
Dallas, TX
$58k
/year
Riverside, CA
$58k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$57k
/year
Miami, FL
$57k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$57k
/year
Providence, RI
$57k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$57k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$57k
/year
Houston, TX
$56k
/year
Tampa, FL
$56k
/year
Orlando, FL
$56k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$55k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$55k
/year
Columbus, OH
$55k
/year
Richmond, VA
$55k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$55k
/year
Nashville, TN
$54k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$54k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$54k
/year
Detroit, MI
$54k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$54k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$53k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$52k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$52k
/year
Memphis, TN
$52k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$52k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$51k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$51k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$51k
/year
Louisville, KY
$51k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$50k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$50k
/year
El Paso, TX
$48k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Firefighters the most?
San Jose, CA pays Firefighters the most, with a median salary of $78,827 per year.
What is the average Firefighter salary across all cities?
The average Firefighter salary across all 50 major US metro areas is $57,420 per year.
Should I consider cost of living when comparing salaries?
Yes! Cities like San Francisco and New York pay higher salaries, but also have higher costs of living. A $80,000 salary in a city with 90 cost of living index has more purchasing power than$100,000 in a city with 150 cost of living index.