CareerFacts

All careers › Firefighters › California

Firefighter salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$85,120median pay per year in California, or $40.92 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $52,390lowest 10% earn less
  2. $65,17025th percentile
  3. $85,120median
  4. $109,62075th percentile
  5. $136,150top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $59,280[3]

The median pay for firefighters in California was $85,120 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the 3rd highest median among the states with a published figure[5].

Jobs in CA
31,470[4]
Rank by median pay
3 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+43.6%[6]

How much do firefighters make in California?

The median wage for firefighters in California was $85,120 a year, or $40.92 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was higher, at $95,090 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $59,280[3], so California was $25,840 (43.6%) higher[6]. It was also $26,880 higher than the median for all jobs in the state, which was $58,240[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% of firefighters in California earned less than $52,390, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $136,150[2]. The middle half fell between $65,170 and $109,620[2].

Pay differs by area. Among the 24 metro areas with a published median, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest, at $152,100[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had a median of $113,700[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed and does not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for firefighters in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$85,120[1]$59,280[3]
Median per hour$40.92[1]$28.50[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$52,390[2]$34,910[13]
Top 10% earn more than$136,150[2]$101,040[13]
Jobs31,470[4]345,990[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for firefighters, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$98,0507,200
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$113,7003,450
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$79,1603,390
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$70,9002,880
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$94,0802,590
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$152,1001,330
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$72,410780
Fresno, CA$79,160770

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for firefighters in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$70,9003,790
Nevada$66,5702,640
Arizona$59,2807,500

Median pay for firefighters in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for firefighters are projected to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a firefighter make in California?
The median firefighter pay in California was $85,120 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $95,090[7].
How much does a firefighter make an hour in California?
The median was $40.92 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $25.19 an hour and the 90th percentile was $65.46[17].
Which city in California pays firefighters the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median among the 24 metro areas with a published figure, at $152,100 a year[10].
Is California a good state for firefighters?
California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for firefighters among the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 43.6% higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a firefighter in California?
This is a US figure, not a California one. Across the US, the typical entry education is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience and long-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Firefighters in California was $85,120 per year and $40.92 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Firefighters in California: 10th percentile $52,390, 25th percentile $65,170, 75th percentile $109,620, 90th percentile $136,150. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Firefighters in the US as a whole was $59,280 per year and $28.50 per hour, with about 345,990 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 31,470 people worked as Firefighters in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for Firefighters out of the 49 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in California ($85,120) was $25,840 (43.6%) higher than the US median ($59,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Firefighters in California was $95,090 per year and $45.72 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in California was $26,880 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 24 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Firefighters, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $152,100. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Firefighters in the US: 10th percentile $34,910, 25th percentile $44,490, 75th percentile $77,250, 90th percentile $101,040. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Firefighters in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $70,900; Nevada $66,570; Arizona $59,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Firefighters is projected to grow 3.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 26,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Firefighters: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Firefighters in California: 10th percentile $25.19, 25th percentile $31.33, 75th percentile $52.70, 90th percentile $65.46. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.