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Firefighter salary in Colorado

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

$74,170median pay per year in Colorado, or $35.66 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $47,000lowest 10% earn less
  2. $60,97025th percentile
  3. $74,170median
  4. $101,26075th percentile
  5. $114,170top 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 Colorado was $74,170 a year in May 2025[1]. That was higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CO
6,510[4]
Rank by median pay
8 of 50[5]
Compared with US median
+25.1%[6]

How much do firefighters make in Colorado?

Firefighters in Colorado had a median wage of $74,170 a year, or $35.66 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was a little higher, at $78,380 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for firefighters was $59,280[3], so Colorado came in $14,890 (25.1%) above that[6]. Colorado had the 8th highest median among the 49 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, whose median was $59,800[8], firefighters earned $14,370 more[9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% of firefighters in Colorado earned less than $47,000[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $114,170[2]. The middle half of the pay range ran from $60,970 to $101,260[2].

Pay differs inside the state. Fort Collins-Loveland had the highest median of the 7 metro areas with a published figure, at $99,930[10]. Denver-Aurora-Centennial had a median of $87,980 across 3,010 jobs[11]. Colorado Springs was at $63,110[11]. These figures cover wages and salaries only. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Colorado vs US pay

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

COUS
Median per year$74,170[1]$59,280[3]
Median per hour$35.66[1]$28.50[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$47,000[2]$34,910[13]
Top 10% earn more than$114,170[2]$101,040[13]
Jobs6,510[4]345,990[3]

Pay by metro area in Colorado

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO[11]$87,9803,010
Colorado Springs, CO$63,110760
Greeley, CO$62,640480
Boulder, CO$79,390360
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO$99,930300
Grand Junction, CO$70,190220
Pueblo, CO$61,560170

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Nebraska[14]$61,0401,070
Arizona$59,2807,500
Wyoming$58,090680
Oklahoma$49,7104,150
Utah$48,3102,870
Kansas$45,9003,360
New Mexico$41,5902,420

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 Colorado?
The median firefighter in Colorado earned $74,170 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $78,380[7].
How much does a firefighter make an hour in Colorado?
The median hourly wage for firefighters in Colorado was $35.66[1]. Hourly pay ran from $22.60 at the 10th percentile to $54.89 at the 90th[17].
Which city in Colorado pays firefighters the most?
Among the 7 metro areas with a published median, Fort Collins-Loveland paid the most, at $99,930 a year[10]. Denver-Aurora-Centennial was next in this list at $87,980[11].
Is Colorado a good state for firefighters?
Colorado had the 8th highest median annual wage for firefighters out of the 49 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median of $74,170 was $14,890 above the US median[1][6].
What do you need to become a firefighter in Colorado?
These are US figures, not Colorado ones. Across the US, the typical entry path is a postsecondary nondegree award, no work experience in a related job, and long-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Firefighters in Colorado was $74,170 per year and $35.66 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 Colorado: 10th percentile $47,000, 25th percentile $60,970, 75th percentile $101,260, 90th percentile $114,170. 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 6,510 people worked as Firefighters in Colorado (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Colorado had the 8th 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 Colorado ($74,170) was $14,890 (25.1%) higher than the US median ($59,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Firefighters in Colorado was $78,380 per year and $37.68 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Colorado was $59,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Firefighters in Colorado was $14,370 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,800). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 7 metro areas in or partly in Colorado with a published median for Firefighters, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO had the highest median annual wage, $99,930. 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 Colorado (highest first): Nebraska $61,040; Arizona $59,280; Wyoming $58,090; Oklahoma $49,710; Utah $48,310; Kansas $45,900; New Mexico $41,590. 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 Colorado: 10th percentile $22.60, 25th percentile $29.31, 75th percentile $48.68, 90th percentile $54.89. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Colorado. 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.