San Jose Fire Department Firefighter Salary
San Jose, California · Santa Clara County · 679 career firefighters · 34 stations
What San Jose Fire Department pays
Entry-level starting pay
$105,376
a year
Top of posted range
Not listed
a year
Entry-level postings
1 posting
May 2026
San Jose Fire Department listed starting pay of $105,376 a year in its entry-level posting from May 2026. The most recent, Firefighter Recruit in May 2026, started at $105,376.
Official pay at San Jose Fire Department
From the department's pay plan, effective Jun 2026 (FY2026-27).
Entry pay
$107,994
a year
Top step pay
$164,944
a year
Source: Pay plan, Jun 2026 (FY2026-27)
San Jose Fire Department starting pay over time
Newest first. Official figures come from the department's pay schedules; posting figures are the most recent closed entry level posting with annual pay in each year.
| Date | Starting pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 2026 (FY2026-27) | $107,994 a year | Pay plan |
| May 2026 | $105,376 a year | Job posting: Firefighter Recruit |
| first full pay period of July 2026 (per posting) · FY2026-27 | As published: Firefighter Recruit $51.92 hourly, $4,153.25 bi-weekly; Firefighter Step 1 $4,775.08 bi-weekly | City job posting |
Past San Jose Fire Department postings with pay
Closed postings FireJobs recorded in the last two years. Figures are as the department listed them.
| Position | Posted | Starting | Top of range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter Recruit | May 2026 | $105,376 | Not listed |
San Jose Fire Department pay questions
- How much does a firefighter at San Jose Fire Department make?
- San Jose Fire Department listed starting pay of $105,376 a year in its entry-level posting from May 2026. The most recent, Firefighter Recruit in May 2026, started at $105,376.
- What is the official firefighter pay at San Jose Fire Department?
- San Jose Fire Department's pay plan, effective 2026-06-21 · FY2026-27, sets entry firefighter pay at $107,994 a year, rising to $164,944 at the top step.
- How does San Jose Fire Department pay compare with other California departments?
- The average starting salary across 65 current California firefighter listings on FireJobs is $94,100. San Jose Fire Department's most recent starting figure of $105,376 is 12% above it.
- Is San Jose Fire Department hiring right now?
- No openings from San Jose Fire Department are listed on FireJobs today. Departments with 679 career firefighters usually post once or twice a year. Free weekly alerts for California cover it when they do.
Source: pay figures the department published in its own job postings, recorded by FireJobs when each posting was live. Official figures come from the pay schedule linked above. Pay changes with contracts and steps; the posting for a current opening is the figure that applies.