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 October 9, 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 | Hayward Fire Department · Hayward, CA pay history | $122,075 to $128,170 | Firefighter Trainee, August 2026 |
| 3 | San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District · San Ramon, CA pay history | $120,465 to $188,201 | Firefighter Paramedic, May 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 | Vacaville Fire Department · Vacaville, CA pay history | $108,349 | Firefighter/Paramedic I, September 2026 |
| 8 | Sumner Fire Department · Sumner, WA pay history | $107,448 | Firefighter/EMT-Basic, July 2026 |
| 9 | Berkeley Fire Department · Berkeley, CA pay history | $105,985 to $133,506 | Firefighter/EMT, September 2026 |
| 10 | Bayer Fire Department · Berkeley, CA pay history | $105,985 to $133,506 | Firefighter EMT, September 2026 |
| 11 | Alhambra Fire Department · Alhambra, CA pay history | $104,368 to $133,203 | Firefighter/Paramedic - Lateral, March 2026 |
| 12 | City of Colton Fire Department · COLTON, CA pay history | $104,162 to $126,610 | Firefighter Medic, July 2026 |
| 13 | Loma Linda Fire Department · Loma Linda, CA pay history | $103,168 to $145,168 | Fire Engineer (Internal Only), September 2026 |
| 14 | Carlsbad Fire Department · Carlsbad, CA pay history | $102,565 to $124,675 | Paramedic Firefighter (Entry/Lateral), August 2026 |
| 15 | Poway Fire Department · Poway, CA pay history | $102,293 to $124,332 | Firefighter/Paramedic (Entry Level or Lateral), May 2026 |
| 16 | Elfin Forest/ Harmony Grove Fire Department · Escondido, CA pay history | $101,145 to $129,089 | Firefighter/Paramedic (Recruit), August 2026 |
| 17 | Tumwater Fire Department · Tumwater, WA pay history | $100,692 to $118,464 | Lateral Firefighter, September 2026 |
| 18 | Kirkland Fire Department · Kirkland, WA pay history | $99,048 to $133,849 | Lateral Firefighter (Multiple Vacancies), September 2026 |
| 19 | Allen Fire Department · Allen, TX pay history | $97,528 to $105,825 | Firefighter/Paramedic, May 2026 |
| 20 | Huntington Beach Fire Department · Huntington Beach, CA pay history | $97,011 to $130,000 | Firefighter Paramedic, August 2026 |
| 21 | City of Bellingham Fire Department · Bellingham, WA pay history | $96,144 | Entry Firefighter and Entry Firefighter/Paramedic (NTN FireTeam Testing Window Open), September 2026 |
| 22 | Snohomish County Fire Protection District #15 · Tulalip, WA pay history | $96,114 to $124,813 | AIRPORT FIREFIGHTER/MECHANIC I, July 2026 |
| 23 | Visalia Fire Department · Visalia, CA pay history | $95,800 to $120,207 | FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, August 2026 |
| 24 | Normandy Fire Protection District · Saint Louis, MO pay history | $95,000 | Full Time Paramedic, May 2026 |
| 25 | Hollister Fire Department · Hollister, CA pay history | $94,693 to $115,100 | Firefighter/EMT (Lateral), July 2026 |
| 26 | Hastings Fire Department · Hastings, MN pay history | $94,564 to $132,983 | Firefighter/Paramedic, September 2026 |
| 27 | Kitsap County Fire District #12 · Bremerton, WA pay history | $91,936 to $152,561 | Firefighter/Paramedic - Lateral, September 2026 |
| 28 | North Metro Fire Rescue District · Broomfield, CO pay history | $91,183 to $128,118 | Firefighter Paramedic, July 2026 |
| 29 | Modesto Fire Department · Modesto, CA pay history | $91,029 to $116,160 | Firefighter - Lateral (112 Hr), July 2026 |
| 30 | South Kitsap Fire and Rescue · Port Orchard, WA pay history | $90,998 to $108,547 | Entry Level Firefighter/EMT or Firefighter/Paramedic, August 2026 |
| 31 | Santa Barbara City Fire Department · Santa Barbara, CA pay history | $90,597 to $122,357 | Firefighter - Entry, August 2026 |
| 32 | Bainbridge Island Fire Department · Bainbridge Island, WA pay history | $89,719 to $119,626 | Firefighter, July 2026 |
| 33 | Olympia Fire Department · Olympia, WA pay history | $89,424 to $119,232 | Firefighter, September 2026 |
| 34 | Hudson Fire Protection District · Hudson, CO pay history | $89,265 to $99,265 | Firefighter/EMT, September 2026 |
| 35 | Clark County Fire District 6 · Vancouver, WA pay history | $88,836 to $126,900 | Firefighter/EMT, September 2026 |
| 36 | Coon Rapids Fire Department · Coon Rapids, MN pay history | $87,768 to $105,502 | Career Firefighter, September 2026 |
| 37 | City of Rocklin Fire Department · Rocklin, CA pay history | $87,686 to $119,507 | Firefighter/Paramedic (Non-Lateral), July 2026 |
| 38 | 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 |
| 39 | Salt River Fire Department · Scottsdale, AZ pay history | $87,412 to $120,191 | Fire Engineer, August 2026 |
| 40 | Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services Department · Boca Raton, FL pay history | $87,406 to $87,406 | Firefighter/Paramedic, July 2026 |
| 41 | Rialto Fire Department · Rialto, CA pay history | $87,295 to $116,983 | Firefighter/Paramedic, August 2026 |
| 42 | City of Riverside Fire Department · Riverside, CA pay history | $87,252 to $116,916 | Firefighter Paramedic- Entry Level, July 2026 |
| 43 | Thornton Rural Fire District · Thornton, CA pay history | $87,132 to $101,995 | Firefighter Paramedic, June 2026 |
| 44 | Skokie Fire Department · Skokie, IL pay history | $87,124 to $127,131 | Firefighter/Paramedic, September 2026 |
| 45 | St Louis Park Fire Department · St Louis Park, MN pay history | $86,991 to $112,283 | Firefighter, September 2026 |
| 46 | Riverside County Fire Department · Perris, CA pay history | $86,802 to $125,708 | Fire Safety Specialist - Riverside, September 2026 |
| 47 | Holly Springs Fire-Rescue · Holly Springs, NC pay history | $86,600 to $129,900 | Health and Safety Officer, September 2026 |
| 48 | Grand Prairie Fire Department · Grand Prairie, TX pay history | $85,509 to $105,022 | Firefighter, September 2026 |
| 49 | Lynden Fire Department · Lynden, WA pay history | $84,917 to $104,836 | Firefighter/EMT, July 2026 |
| 50 | Baytown Fire Department · Baytown, TX pay history | $84,629 to $104,103 | Firefighter/Paramedic, July 2026 |
Figures are from postings that have closed; current openings show their pay to FireJobs members. Browse pay by state and department.