24 February 2025
Chief Brent Collins, President, www.FirePrep.com
The Salary of a Firefighter
Firefighter salaries will range from $65,000 - $100,000 depending on where you live.
With that salary typically comes benefits including hospitalization, dental and vision insurance. A rookie firefighter usually gets 3 weeks paid vacation and maxes out at 7-8 weeks as they advance in years on the department. You will have a retirement plan after 25 years and usually the age of 48-52 where you will receive 60% of your salary as your pension.
In the fire department, there are chances of moving up the ladder as a lieutenant, captain and battalion/assistant chief. Usually, each of those steps is a 16-18% pay raise. For example, if you became a captain, you would receive approximately 32% additional salary over a firefighter.
With working an average of two 24-hour days per week, many firefighters have part-time jobs ranging from working for an ambulance company or hospital, a nurse, construction, landscaping, accountants, plumbers, electricians, home remodeling - you name it and there is a firefighter who does it on their day off. Depending on what you do, you could easily make as much on your days off as you do working as a firefighter.
Good luck in your pursuit of the greatest job on the face of the earth! Remember – luck goes to the prepared!