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Average Firefighter Salary by State 2026

Firefighter salaries in all 50 states. Ranked from highest to lowest paying with overtime analysis.

$82,500
Highest (California)
$44,000
Lowest (Mississippi)
$54,604
National Average
$68,011
Best Adjusted (Illinois)

Top 5 Highest Pay

#1 California$82,500
#2 New Jersey$77,000
#3 New York$74,250
#4 Connecticut$70,400
#5 Washington$68,750

Top 5 Best Value (COL Adj.)

#1 Illinois$68,011
#2 New Jersey$63,636
#3 Washington$59,783
#4 Pennsylvania$59,681
#5 Minnesota$59,536

Bottom 5 Lowest Pay

#50 Mississippi$44,000
#49 Arkansas$45,100
#48 South Dakota$45,100
#47 West Virginia$45,100
#46 Alabama$46,750

All 50 States — Firefighter Salary

#StateSalary MonthlyCOL AdjustedCOL IndexTax Rate
#1California$82,500$6,875$58,0991429.3%
#2New Jersey$77,000$6,417$63,63612110.75%
#3New York$74,250$6,188$53,41713910.9%
#4Connecticut$70,400$5,867$58,1821216.99%
#5Washington$68,750$5,729$59,783115None
#6Massachusetts$67,100$5,592$49,7041355%
#7Alaska$66,000$5,500$51,969127None
#8Hawaii$64,900$5,408$34,15819011%
#9Illinois$63,250$5,271$68,011934.95%
#10Maryland$63,250$5,271$53,6021185.75%
#11Oregon$61,600$5,133$54,5131139.9%
#12Nevada$60,500$5,042$58,173104None
#13Colorado$59,400$4,950$56,5711054.4%
#14Delaware$57,750$4,813$56,6181026.6%
#15Minnesota$57,750$4,813$59,536979.85%
#16Virginia$57,750$4,813$56,0681035.75%
#17New Hampshire$56,100$4,675$50,089112None
#18Pennsylvania$56,100$4,675$59,681943.07%
#19Rhode Island$55,000$4,583$50,4591095.99%
#20Texas$53,900$4,492$57,95793None
#21Arizona$53,350$4,446$51,7961032.5%
#22Florida$52,250$4,354$50,728103None
#23Michigan$52,250$4,354$58,708894.25%
#24Ohio$52,250$4,354$58,708893.99%
#25Georgia$51,150$4,263$55,000935.49%
#26Wisconsin$51,150$4,263$55,000937.65%
#27Utah$50,600$4,217$49,1261034.65%
#28Indiana$49,500$4,125$55,000903.15%
#29Maine$49,500$4,125$45,4131097.15%
#30Missouri$49,500$4,125$56,250884.95%
#31North Carolina$49,500$4,125$52,105954.5%
#32Tennessee$49,500$4,125$54,39691None
#33Iowa$48,400$4,033$53,778906%
#34Kansas$48,400$4,033$54,382895.7%
#35Louisiana$48,400$4,033$53,187914.25%
#36Nebraska$48,400$4,033$53,187915.84%
#37South Carolina$48,400$4,033$52,609926.4%
#38Vermont$48,400$4,033$44,0001108.75%
#39Wyoming$48,400$4,033$50,94795None
#40New Mexico$47,850$3,988$52,582915.9%
#41Alabama$46,750$3,896$53,736875%
#42Idaho$46,750$3,896$48,196975.8%
#43Kentucky$46,750$3,896$53,736874.5%
#44Montana$46,750$3,896$45,3881035.9%
#45North Dakota$46,750$3,896$50,269932.9%
#46Oklahoma$46,750$3,896$54,360864.75%
#47Arkansas$45,100$3,758$53,690844.4%
#48South Dakota$45,100$3,758$49,56091None
#49West Virginia$45,100$3,758$53,690845.12%
#50Mississippi$44,000$3,667$53,012835%

Other Salary Data

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Frequently Asked Questions

What state pays Firefighters the most?

California pays the highest Firefighter salary at $82,500/year. However, after adjusting for cost of living, Illinois offers the best real value at $68,011 adjusted.

What is the average Firefighter salary in 2026?

The national average Firefighter salary is $54,604/year. This varies from $44,000 in Mississippi to $82,500 in California.

Which state is best for Firefighters after cost of living?

Illinois offers the best cost-of-living adjusted Firefighter salary at $68,011. This accounts for housing, taxes, groceries, and other expenses.

How much do Firefighters make per month?

The average Firefighter makes $4,550/month before taxes. After federal and state taxes, take-home pay ranges from $2,640 to $5,363/month.

Data & Research

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