Firefighter Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$85,120
$40.92/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$76,879
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($59,280): +$25,840 (+43.6%)
California ranks 3rd of 50 states by median pay, and 5th of 50 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,390 | $25.19 |
| 25th percentile | $65,170 | $31.33 |
| Median | $85,120 | $40.92 |
| 75th percentile | $109,620 | $52.70 |
| 90th percentile | $136,150 | $65.46 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 31,470
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $85,120
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $59,280
- Difference
- +$25,840 (+43.6%)
Cost of living
$85,120 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $76,879
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | ||
| 1st | $100,960 | $93,550 1st |
| Washington | ||
| 2nd | $94,520 | $88,326 2nd |
| California This page | ||
| 3rd | $85,120 | $76,879 5th |
| New Jersey | ||
| 4th | $84,130 | $77,322 4th |
| Illinois | ||
| 5th | $78,380 | $78,413 3rd |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Forest Fire Inspector and Prevention Specialist salary in the U.S.
$56,870/year U.S.
- Fire Inspector and Investigator salary in the U.S.
$75,920/year U.S.
- Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Worker salary in California
$42,720/year California
- Emergency Medical Technician salary in California
$46,380/year California
- Paramedic salary in California
$74,590/year California
- Ship Engineer salary in the U.S.
$109,530/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +3.7%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Postsecondary nondegree award
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Firefighter salary in nearby places
- Firefighter salary in Arizona
$59,280/year Arizona
- Firefighter salary in Nevada
$66,570/year Nevada
- Firefighter salary in Oregon
$70,900/year Oregon
- Firefighter salary in the U.S.
$59,280/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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