Big Bear Fire Authority firefighter salary, 2025
Big Bear Fire Authority is a joint powers authority in San Bernardino County: a public agency that two or more public agencies set up by agreement to run a shared service.1 13 people worked as firefighters for Big Bear Fire Authority in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $165,773, overtime included.
What is the average firefighter salary at Big Bear Fire Authority?
Official pay range2
$76,928 to $96,073
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest firefighter title
Based on the 11 of 13 firefighters who worked the full year.
Most of Big Bear Fire Authority's firefighters (13 of 13) hold the title Fire Fighter/Paramedic, with an official range of $76,928 to $96,073. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $165,773, $69,700 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $150,224
- the middle firefighter: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $54,197
- average per full-year firefighter
- Starting salary
- $76,928
- bottom of the Fire Fighter/Paramedic range
- Average pay rank
- 111th
- of 202 California employers
What does each firefighter title at Big Bear Fire Authority pay?
Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.2
- Fire Fighter/Paramedic$165,773
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Fire engineer and captain pay at Big Bear Fire Authority
Ranks above firefighter, kept out of the firefighter figures on this page. Each rank's name leads to its statewide overview. Range: the middle reported bottom and top of each rank's official range. Pay: average total pay of full-year staff, overtime included.2
| Rank | People | Official range | Average total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighters | 13 | $76,928 to $96,073 | $165,773 |
| Engineers | 9 | $89,078 to $111,246 | $183,780 |
| Captains | 9 | $103,214 to $128,901 | $257,314 |
Full-year captains averaged $257,314, $91,541 more than firefighters.
Does Big Bear Fire Authority pay firefighters more than other employers in San Bernardino County?
Average total pay of full-year firefighters: Big Bear Fire Authority next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.2
- Big Bear Fire Authority$165,773
- All employers in San Bernardino County$185,219
- All employers in California$186,123
Full-year firefighters at Big Bear Fire Authority earned $19,446 less than the San Bernardino County average and $20,350 less than the California average.
Average firefighter pay in San Bernardino County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year firefighters across all employers in each county that borders San Bernardino County, and how much more or less it pays.2
- Los Angeles County$206,861 average, 27 employers$21,642 more than San Bernardino County
- Orange County$185,827 average, 11 employers$608 more than San Bernardino County
- Riverside County$171,295 average, 7 employers$13,924 less than San Bernardino County
- Kern County$119,528 average, 3 employers$65,691 less than San Bernardino County
- Inyo CountyNo employerNo firefighter employer in Inyo County has a page here.
Where does Big Bear Fire Authority rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year firefighters, by average total pay.2
All 202 California employers
Big Bear Fire Authority ranks 111th of 202, below the middle employer.
Middle employer: $169,232
The 11 employers in San Bernardino County
Big Bear Fire Authority ranks 9th of 11, below the middle employer.
Middle employer: $175,084
Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.
Pension and health cover at Big Bear Fire Authority
As reported by the agency. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year firefighter, on top of wages.2
- Pension formula
- 2.7% at 57
- the most common formula among Big Bear Fire Authority's firefighters
- Employer pension contribution
- $49,991
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $19,058
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about firefighter pay at Big Bear Fire Authority
What is the average firefighter salary at Big Bear Fire Authority?
Firefighters at Big Bear Fire Authority who worked the full year earned an average of $165,773 in 2025, overtime included. The middle firefighter earned $150,224: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its firefighter titles runs from $76,928 to $96,073.
How much overtime do firefighters at Big Bear Fire Authority earn?
Full-year firefighters were paid an average of $54,197 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $42,407: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a firefighter at Big Bear Fire Authority?
$76,928 a year: the bottom of the official range for Big Bear Fire Authority's Fire Fighter/Paramedic title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year firefighters averaged $165,773 in total pay.
How much does a fire captain make at Big Bear Fire Authority?
Full-year captains at Big Bear Fire Authority averaged $257,314 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $103,214 to $128,901.
What pension do firefighters at Big Bear Fire Authority get?
The most common pension formula among Big Bear Fire Authority's firefighters is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $49,991 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in San Bernardino County
- Ontario$192,230 average total pay
- Rancho Cucamonga$182,044 average total pay
- San Bernardino County$177,656 average total pay
- Victorville$175,084 average total pay
- Barstow$167,390 average total pay
- Redlands$165,786 average total pay
- Highest firefighter salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Paramedic and EMT salaries at Big Bear Fire AuthorityPay by title
- Teacher salaries in San Bernardino CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Big Bear Fire Authority figures
Every person who held a firefighter position at Big Bear Fire Authority at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- California Government Code, section 6502: public agencies may jointly exercise their common powers by agreement.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Big Bear Fire Authority.