Firefighters Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$85,120
Median hourly
$41
Average annual
$95,090
Employed in state
31K
The median annual salary for Firefighters in California is $85,120, or about $41 an hour. That is 44% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $52,390 at the 10th percentile to $136,150 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 31K people work as firefighters in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$52,390
25th$65,170
Median$85,120
75th$109,620
90th$136,150
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $40.92
- Daily
- $327
- Weekly
- $1,637
- Bi-weekly
- $3,274
- Monthly
- $7,093
- Annual
- $85,120
$85,120 a year is around the 50th percentile for Firefighterss in California. The median is $85,120.
Firefighters pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $152,100 | 1.3K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $113,700 | 3.5K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,050 | 7.2K |
| Vallejo, CA | $95,950 | 330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,080 | 2.6K |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $87,400 | 310 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $82,250 | 410 |
| Salinas, CA | $81,070 | 760 |
| Yuba City, CA | $80,360 | 110 |
| Napa, CA | $80,260 | N/A |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $79,540 | 320 |
| Fresno, CA | $79,160 | 770 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $79,160 | 3.4K |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $77,400 | 660 |
| Modesto, CA | $77,370 | 230 |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990