Highest-Paying Fire Departments for New Firefighters
Ranked by the starting salary in each department's most recent closed entry-level posting (firefighter, firefighter/EMT, firefighter/paramedic, recruit or trainee), taken from the figure the department published. Officer and chief postings are excluded. Cost of living differs a lot between these places; a Bay Area figure and a Midwest figure are not the same money.
Updated September 21, 2026. Rebuilt weekly from FireJobs listing data.
| # | Department | Starting pay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain View Fire Department · Mountain View, CA pay history | $142,611 to $192,336 | Firefighter EMT/ Firefighter Paramedic (Lateral), August 2026 |
| 2 | Berkeley Fire Department · Berkeley, CA pay history | $129,617 | Firefighter, August 2026 |
| 3 | Hayward Fire Department · Hayward, CA pay history | $122,075 to $128,170 | Firefighter Trainee, August 2026 |
| 4 | Albany Fire Department · Albany, CA pay history | $120,286 to $161,229 | Firefighter/Paramedic (Entry-Level), March 2026 |
| 5 | Fremont Fire Department · Fremont, CA pay history | $118,130 | Firefighter Trainee - Paramedic (Entry Level), July 2026 |
| 6 | Mountlake Terrace Fire Department · Mountlake Terrace, WA pay history | $111,676 to $124,085 | Lateral Firefighter EMT, August 2026 |
| 7 | City of Bellingham Fire Department · Bellingham, WA pay history | $108,444 | Experienced Firefighter and Experienced Firefighter/Paramedic, August 2026 |
| 8 | Sumner Fire Department · Sumner, WA pay history | $107,448 | Firefighter/EMT-Basic, July 2026 |
| 9 | Alhambra Fire Department · Alhambra, CA pay history | $104,368 to $133,203 | Firefighter/Paramedic - Lateral, March 2026 |
| 10 | City of Colton Fire Department · COLTON, CA pay history | $104,162 to $126,610 | Firefighter Medic, July 2026 |
| 11 | Carlsbad Fire Department · Carlsbad, CA pay history | $102,565 to $124,675 | Paramedic Firefighter (Entry/Lateral), August 2026 |
| 12 | Poway Fire Department · Poway, CA pay history | $102,293 to $124,332 | Firefighter/Paramedic (Entry Level or Lateral), May 2026 |
| 13 | Elfin Forest/ Harmony Grove Fire Department · Escondido, CA pay history | $101,145 to $129,089 | Firefighter/Paramedic (Recruit), August 2026 |
| 14 | Allen Fire Department · Allen, TX pay history | $97,528 to $105,825 | Firefighter/Paramedic, May 2026 |
| 15 | Huntington Beach Fire Department · Huntington Beach, CA pay history | $97,011 to $130,000 | Firefighter Paramedic, August 2026 |
| 16 | Snohomish County Fire Protection District #15 · Tulalip, WA pay history | $96,114 to $124,813 | AIRPORT FIREFIGHTER/MECHANIC I, July 2026 |
| 17 | Visalia Fire Department · Visalia, CA pay history | $95,800 to $120,207 | FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, August 2026 |
| 18 | Normandy Fire Protection District · Saint Louis, MO pay history | $95,000 | Full Time Paramedic, May 2026 |
| 19 | Hollister Fire Department · Hollister, CA pay history | $94,693 to $115,100 | Firefighter/EMT (Lateral), July 2026 |
| 20 | Kirkland Fire Department · Kirkland, WA pay history | $93,093 to $125,801 | Entry Level Firefighter (Multiple Vacancies), May 2026 |
| 21 | City of San Bernardino Fire Department · San Bernardino, CA pay history | $91,786 to $120,370 | Firefighter - Paramedic (Fire District), September 2026 |
| 22 | North Metro Fire Rescue District · Broomfield, CO pay history | $91,183 to $128,118 | Firefighter Paramedic, July 2026 |
| 23 | Modesto Fire Department · Modesto, CA pay history | $91,029 to $116,160 | Firefighter - Lateral (112 Hr), July 2026 |
| 24 | South Kitsap Fire and Rescue · Port Orchard, WA pay history | $90,998 to $108,547 | Entry Level Firefighter/EMT or Firefighter/Paramedic, August 2026 |
| 25 | Bainbridge Island Fire Department · Bainbridge Island, WA pay history | $89,719 to $119,626 | Firefighter, July 2026 |
| 26 | Montclair Fire Department · Montclair, CA pay history | $89,095 to $108,296 | Fire Engineer, May 2026 |
| 27 | Los Angeles Fire Department · Los Angeles, CA pay history | $87,883 to $87,883 | Firefighter I, May 2026 |
| 28 | City of Rocklin Fire Department · Rocklin, CA pay history | $87,686 to $119,507 | Firefighter/Paramedic (Lateral), July 2026 |
| 29 | Barstow Fire Protection District · Barstow, CA pay history | $87,656 to $111,873 | Fire Engineer, August 2026 |
| 30 | Pierce County Fire District #21 (Graham Fire & Rescue) · Graham, WA pay history | $87,540 to $120,048 | Entry-Level Firefighter/EMT and Entry-Level Firefighter/Paramedic, June 2026 |
| 31 | Salt River Fire Department · Scottsdale, AZ pay history | $87,412 to $120,191 | Fire Engineer, August 2026 |
| 32 | Rialto Fire Department · Rialto, CA pay history | $87,295 to $116,983 | Firefighter/Paramedic, August 2026 |
| 33 | City of Riverside Fire Department · Riverside, CA pay history | $87,252 to $116,916 | Firefighter Paramedic- Entry Level, July 2026 |
| 34 | Thornton Rural Fire District · Thornton, CA pay history | $87,132 to $101,995 | Firefighter Paramedic, June 2026 |
| 35 | Holly Springs Fire-Rescue · Holly Springs, NC pay history | $86,600 to $129,900 | Health and Safety Officer, September 2026 |
| 36 | Grand Prairie Fire Department · Grand Prairie, TX pay history | $85,509 to $105,022 | Fire Fighter, September 2026 |
| 37 | Lynden Fire Department · Lynden, WA pay history | $84,917 to $104,836 | Firefighter/EMT, July 2026 |
| 38 | Baytown Fire Department · Baytown, TX pay history | $84,629 to $104,103 | Firefighter/Paramedic, July 2026 |
| 39 | S.E. Thurston Fire Authority · Yelm, WA pay history | $84,597 | Firefighter, September 2026 |
| 40 | Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services Department · Boca Raton, FL pay history | $84,368 | Firefighter/Paramedic, July 2026 |
| 41 | Prospect Heights Fire Protection District · Prospect Heights, IL pay history | $82,282 to $122,735 | Firefighter/Paramedic, July 2026 |
| 42 | Vandenberg Fire Department · Vandenberg AFB, CA pay history | $81,312 to $97,293 | Firefighter Trainee - EMT & Firefighter Trainee - Paramedic, May 2026 |
| 43 | Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services · Atascadero, CA pay history | $80,745 to $113,850 | Firefighter, March 2026 |
| 44 | Atascadero State Hospital Fire Department · Atascadero, CA pay history | $80,745 to $113,850 | Firefighter, March 2026 |
| 45 | City of Burbank Fire Department · Burbank, CA pay history | $80,028 | FIRE FIGHTER RECRUIT, July 2026 |
| 46 | Georgia Department of Corrections Fire Services · Atlanta, GA pay history | $80,000 to $93,040 | FIRE SAFETY OFFICER - MPA3, July 2026 |
| 47 | City of DuPont Fire Department · DuPont, WA pay history | $79,846 to $99,814 | Lateral Firefighter EMT, August 2026 |
| 48 | Warrenville Fire Protection District · Warrenville, IL pay history | $79,729 to $106,028 | Full-Time Firefighter / Paramedic, May 2026 |
| 49 | Southaven Fire Department · Southaven, MS pay history | $79,545 | Fire Department - Paramedic I, July 2026 |
| 50 | Pajaro Valley Fire Protection District · Watsonville, CA pay history | $78,496 to $105,193 | Firefighter (Paramedic) -Entry Level/Lateral, May 2026 |
Figures are from postings that have closed; current openings show their pay to FireJobs members. Browse pay by state and department.