Ohio Firefighter Salaries by Department
Starting pay at 24 Ohio fire departments, taken from the pay figures each department published in its own job postings over the last two years. Across 14 current Ohio listings with annual pay, the average starting salary is $68,669.
Highest recent entry-level starting pay in Ohio
- 1. Clearcreek Fire District $82,410 (Career Firefighter/Paramedic (Lateral), August 2026)
- 2. Mentor Fire Department $80,372 (Firefighter/Paramedic, October 2026)
- 3. Perrysburg Fire Division $75,062 (Firefighter/Paramedic (Entry-Level), September 2026)
- 4. Deerfield Township Fire Rescue Department $72,923 (Full Time Firefighter / Paramedic, September 2026)
- 5. Franklin Township Fire Department $72,042 (Firefighter/Paramedic, September 2026)
Ohio departments with official pay schedules
- Columbus Division of Fire $69,976 entry pay a year (Source: CBA, Pay period including 2025-11-01 · Nov 2025 - Oct 2026)
All Ohio departments with posted pay
| Department | Starting pay posted | Top of range | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deerfield Township Fire Rescue Department · Loveland | $65,631 to $72,923 | $89,531 | 4 |
| Clearcreek Fire District · Springboro | $70,083 to $82,410 | $88,280 | 3 |
| Perrysburg Fire Division · Perrysburg | $75,062 | $95,576 | 2 |
| City of Galion Fire Department · Galion | $58,593 | $73,861 | 1 |
| City of Oxford Fire Department · Oxford | $43,680 | $58,240 | 1 |
| Clayton Fire Department · Englewood | $63,627 | $89,556 | 1 |
| Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department · Cuyahoga Falls | $67,400 | $99,943 | 1 |
| Dayton Fire Department · Dayton | $55,051 | $73,720 | 1 |
| Fairfield Fire Department · Fairfield | $64,058 | $100,967 | 1 |
| Franklin Township Fire Department · Franklin | $72,042 | $81,082 | 1 |
| Lima Fire Department · Lima | $68,589 | $87,306 | 1 |
| Mentor Fire Department · Mentor | $80,372 | $101,468 | 1 |
| Newark Fire Department · Newark | $63,840 | $86,854 | 1 |
| Sycamore Township Fire Department · Cincinnati | $110,000 | Not listed | 1 |
| Toledo Fire Department · Toledo | $69,181 | $72,821 | 1 |
| Upper Arlington Fire Division · Upper Arlington | $70,363 | $110,959 | 1 |
| Akron Fire Department · Akron | $31.53/hr | Not listed | 1 |
| Bowling Green Fire Division · Bowling Green | $33.82/hr | Not listed | 1 |
| Brunswick Division of Fire · Brunswick | $27.01/hr | Not listed | 1 |
| Center Township Fire Department · Bowling Green | $29.32/hr | Not listed | 2 |
| Chester Township Fire Rescue · Chesterland | $19.76/hr | Not listed | 3 |
| Delphos Fire & Rescue · Delphos | $18.65/hr | Not listed | 1 |
| Marysville Fire Division · Marysville | $19.50/hr | Not listed | 1 |
| Perry Township Fire Department · Massillon | $20.06/hr | Not listed | 1 |
Figures are as each department listed them in closed postings. Current openings show their pay to FireJobs members.