Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County firefighter salary, 2025
Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County is a fire protection district in Santa Cruz County. 61 people worked as firefighters for Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $198,417, overtime included.
What is the average firefighter salary at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County?
Official pay range1
$100,407 to $148,499
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest firefighter title
Based on the 50 of 61 firefighters who worked the full year.
Most of Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County's firefighters (42 of 61) hold the title Firefighter Paramedic - 56 Hour, with an official range of $110,448 to $148,499. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $203,283, $54,784 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $198,396
- the middle firefighter: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $33,182
- average per full-year firefighter
- Starting salary
- $100,407
- bottom of the Firefighter - 56 Hour range
- Average pay rank
- 49th
- of 202 California employers
What does each firefighter title at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County 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.1
- Firefighter - 56 Hour$188,077
- Firefighter Paramedic - 56 Hour$203,283
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Fire captain and battalion chief pay at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County
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.1
| Rank | People | Official range | Average total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighters | 61 | $100,407 to $148,499 | $198,417 |
| Captains | 25 | $153,899 to $169,674 | $260,650 |
| Battalion Chiefs | 5 | $190,034 to $209,513 | $293,721 |
Full-year captains averaged $260,650, $62,233 more than firefighters.
Does Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County pay firefighters more than other employers in Santa Cruz County?
Average total pay of full-year firefighters: Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County$198,417
- All employers in Santa Cruz County$184,502
- All employers in California$186,123
Full-year firefighters at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County earned $13,915 more than the Santa Cruz County average and $12,294 more than the California average.
Average firefighter pay in Santa Cruz County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year firefighters across all employers in each county that borders Santa Cruz County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- San Mateo County$219,236 average, 9 employers$34,734 more than Santa Cruz County
- Santa Clara County$214,586 average, 7 employers$30,084 more than Santa Cruz County
- San Benito County$160,778 average, 1 employer$23,724 less than Santa Cruz County
- Monterey County$135,621 average, 6 employers$48,881 less than Santa Cruz County
Where does Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year firefighters, by average total pay.1
All 202 California employers
Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County ranks 49th of 202, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $169,232
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 Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County
As reported by the agency. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year firefighter, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 2.7% at 57
- the most common formula among Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County's firefighters
- Employer pension contribution
- $27,113
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $28,787
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about firefighter pay at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County
What is the average firefighter salary at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County?
Firefighters at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County who worked the full year earned an average of $198,417 in 2025, overtime included. The middle firefighter earned $198,396: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its firefighter titles runs from $100,407 to $148,499.
How much overtime do firefighters at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County earn?
Full-year firefighters were paid an average of $33,182 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $31,890: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a firefighter at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County?
$100,407 a year: the bottom of the official range for Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County's Firefighter - 56 Hour title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year firefighters averaged $198,417 in total pay.
How much does a fire captain make at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County?
Full-year captains at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County averaged $260,650 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $153,899 to $169,674.
What pension do firefighters at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County get?
The most common pension formula among Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County's firefighters is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $27,113 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Santa Cruz County
Sources for the Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County figures
Every person who held a firefighter position at Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County 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.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County.