South Lake Tahoe firefighter salary, 2025
South Lake Tahoe is a city in El Dorado County. 16 people worked as firefighters for South Lake Tahoe in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $132,173, overtime included.
What is the average firefighter salary at South Lake Tahoe?
Official pay range1
$88,068 to $111,336
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest firefighter title
Based on the 10 of 16 firefighters who worked the full year.
Most of South Lake Tahoe's firefighters (16 of 16) hold the title Firefighter/Paramedic, with an official range of $88,068 to $111,336. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $132,173, $20,837 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $137,927
- the middle firefighter: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $23,272
- average per full-year firefighter
- Starting salary
- $88,068
- bottom of the Firefighter/Paramedic range
- Average pay rank
- 152nd
- of 202 California employers
What does each firefighter title at South Lake Tahoe 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/Paramedic$132,173
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Fire engineer pay at South Lake Tahoe
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 | 16 | $88,068 to $111,336 | $132,173 |
| Engineers | 9 | $92,484 to $116,916 | $148,879 |
Does South Lake Tahoe pay firefighters more than other employers in El Dorado County?
Average total pay of full-year firefighters: South Lake Tahoe next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- South Lake Tahoe$132,173
- All employers in El Dorado County$146,308
- All employers in California$186,123
Full-year firefighters at South Lake Tahoe earned $14,135 less than the El Dorado County average and $53,950 less than the California average.
Average firefighter pay in El Dorado County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year firefighters across all employers in each county that borders El Dorado County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Sacramento County$169,199 average, 4 employers$22,891 more than El Dorado County
- Placer County$153,257 average, 6 employers$6,949 more than El Dorado County
- Amador County$87,218 average, 1 employer$59,090 less than El Dorado County
- Alpine CountyNo employerNo firefighter employer in Alpine County has a page here.
Where does South Lake Tahoe rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year firefighters, by average total pay.1
All 202 California employers
South Lake Tahoe ranks 152nd 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 South Lake Tahoe
As reported by the city. 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 South Lake Tahoe's firefighters
- Employer pension contribution
- $15,577
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $15,042
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about firefighter pay at South Lake Tahoe
What is the average firefighter salary at South Lake Tahoe?
Firefighters at South Lake Tahoe who worked the full year earned an average of $132,173 in 2025, overtime included. The middle firefighter earned $137,927: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its firefighter titles runs from $88,068 to $111,336.
How much overtime do firefighters at South Lake Tahoe earn?
Full-year firefighters were paid an average of $23,272 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $23,032: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a firefighter at South Lake Tahoe?
$88,068 a year: the bottom of the official range for South Lake Tahoe's Firefighter/Paramedic title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year firefighters averaged $132,173 in total pay.
What pension do firefighters at South Lake Tahoe get?
The most common pension formula among South Lake Tahoe's firefighters is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $15,577 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in El Dorado County
- El Dorado Hills County Water District$174,658 average total pay
- El Dorado County Fire Protection District$144,051 average total pay
- Fallen Leaf Lake Community Services Districtfirefighter pay
- Lake Valley Fire Protection Districtfirefighter pay
- Highest firefighter salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Police officer salaries at South Lake Tahoe$142,002 average total pay
- 911 dispatcher salaries at South Lake Tahoe$126,014 average total pay
- Teacher salaries in El Dorado CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the South Lake Tahoe figures
Every person who held a firefighter position at South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe.