Five Cities Fire Authority firefighter salary, 2025
Five Cities Fire Authority is a joint powers authority in San Luis Obispo County: a public agency that two or more public agencies set up by agreement to run a shared service.1 6 people worked as firefighters for Five Cities Fire Authority in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $122,908, overtime included.
What is the average firefighter salary at Five Cities Fire Authority?
Official pay range2
$79,200 to $96,264
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest firefighter title
Based on the 5 of 6 firefighters who worked the full year.
Most of Five Cities Fire Authority's firefighters (6 of 6) hold the title Fire Fighter, with an official range of $79,200 to $96,264. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $122,908, $26,644 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $123,719
- the middle firefighter: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $34,780
- average per full-year firefighter
- Starting salary
- $79,200
- bottom of the Fire Fighter range
- Average pay rank
- 167th
- of 202 California employers
What does each firefighter title at Five Cities 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$122,908
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 Five Cities 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 | 6 | $79,200 to $96,264 | $122,908 |
| Engineers | 8 | $87,420 to $106,260 | $169,932 |
| Captains | 10 | $98,904 to $120,228 | $218,700 |
Full-year captains averaged $218,700, $95,792 more than firefighters.
Does Five Cities Fire Authority pay firefighters more than other employers in San Luis Obispo County?
Average total pay of full-year firefighters: Five Cities Fire Authority next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.2
- Five Cities Fire Authority$122,908
- All employers in San Luis Obispo County$140,806
- All employers in California$186,123
Full-year firefighters at Five Cities Fire Authority earned $17,898 less than the San Luis Obispo County average and $63,215 less than the California average.
Average firefighter pay in San Luis Obispo County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year firefighters across all employers in each county that borders San Luis Obispo County, and how much more or less it pays.2
- Santa Barbara County$179,729 average, 6 employers$38,923 more than San Luis Obispo County
- Monterey County$135,621 average, 6 employers$5,185 less than San Luis Obispo County
- Kern County$119,528 average, 3 employers$21,278 less than San Luis Obispo County
- Kings County$112,802 average, 2 employers$28,004 less than San Luis Obispo County
Where does Five Cities Fire Authority rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year firefighters, by average total pay.2
All 202 California employers
Five Cities Fire Authority ranks 167th of 202, below 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 Five Cities 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% at 62
- the most common formula among Five Cities Fire Authority's firefighters
- Employer pension contribution
- $12,237
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $9,807
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about firefighter pay at Five Cities Fire Authority
What is the average firefighter salary at Five Cities Fire Authority?
Firefighters at Five Cities Fire Authority who worked the full year earned an average of $122,908 in 2025, overtime included. The middle firefighter earned $123,719: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its firefighter titles runs from $79,200 to $96,264.
How much overtime do firefighters at Five Cities Fire Authority earn?
Full-year firefighters were paid an average of $34,780 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $36,496: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a firefighter at Five Cities Fire Authority?
$79,200 a year: the bottom of the official range for Five Cities Fire Authority's Fire Fighter title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year firefighters averaged $122,908 in total pay.
How much does a fire captain make at Five Cities Fire Authority?
Full-year captains at Five Cities Fire Authority averaged $218,700 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $98,904 to $120,228.
What pension do firefighters at Five Cities Fire Authority get?
The most common pension formula among Five Cities Fire Authority's firefighters is 2% at 62, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $12,237 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in San Luis Obispo County
Sources for the Five Cities Fire Authority figures
Every person who held a firefighter position at Five Cities 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 Five Cities Fire Authority.