Colorado Firefighter Salaries by Department
Starting pay at 21 Colorado fire departments, taken from the pay figures each department published in its own job postings over the last two years. Across 19 current Colorado listings with annual pay, the average starting salary is $79,246.
Highest recent entry-level starting pay in Colorado
- 1. North Metro Fire Rescue District $91,183 (Firefighter Paramedic, July 2026)
- 2. Hudson Fire Protection District $89,265 (Firefighter/EMT, September 2026)
- 3. South Adams County Fire Protection District #4 $83,862 (Firefighter IV (Academy/Entry Level), October 2026)
- 4. West Metro Fire Rescue $73,184 (Firefighter Recruit, May 2026)
- 5. Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control $64,032 (DFPC WFMS Firefighter II: Module Lead, September 2026)
Colorado departments with official pay schedules
- Aurora Fire Department $70,748 entry pay a year (Source: CBA, Jan 2026 (2026))
All Colorado departments with posted pay
| Department | Starting pay posted | Top of range | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control · Lakewood | $58,068 to $85,788 | $102,960 | 6 |
| Cheyenne Mountain A.F.S. Fire Department · Colorado Springs | $37,370 to $62,570 | $87,899 | 5 |
| Peterson Air Force Base Fire Department · Peterson AFB | $37,370 to $51,792 | $67,331 | 4 |
| USAF Academy Fire & Emergency Services · USAF Academy | $37,370 to $51,792 | $67,331 | 4 |
| Hartsel Fire Protection District · Hartsel | $63,600 | $69,300 | 2 |
| North Routt Fire Protection District · Clark | $60,000 | $65,000 | 2 |
| Schriever AFB Fire Department · Schriever AFB | $37,370 to $51,792 | $67,331 | 2 |
| South Adams County Fire Protection District #4 · Commerce City | $83,862 | Not listed | 2 |
| Colorado Springs Fire Department · Colorado Springs | $165,084 | $198,181 | 1 |
| Donald Wescott Fire Protection District · Colorado Springs | $59,370 | $71,273 | 1 |
| Elizabeth Fire Protection District · Elizabeth | $137,281 | $150,010 | 1 |
| Hudson Fire Protection District · Hudson | $89,265 | $99,265 | 1 |
| Nederland Fire Protection District · Nederland | $60,000 | $70,000 | 1 |
| North Metro Fire Rescue District · Broomfield | $91,183 | $128,118 | 1 |
| Trinidad Fire Department · Trinidad | $55,960 | Not listed | 1 |
| West Metro Fire Rescue · Lakewood | $73,184 | $112,591 | 1 |
| Westminster Fire Department · Westminster | $80,538 | $103,126 | 1 |
| City of Grand Junction Fire Department · Grand Junction | $25.00/hr | Not listed | 2 |
| Denver Fire Department · Denver | $29.53/hr | Not listed | 1 |
| Hanging Lake Tunnel · Glenwood Springs | $23.24/hr | Not listed | 1 |
| Thornton Fire Department · Thornton | $48.24/hr | Not listed | 1 |
Figures are as each department listed them in closed postings. Current openings show their pay to FireJobs members.