Highest firefighter starting salaries in California, 2025

What a new firefighter is paid at each of 203 California city, county and district fire departments: the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's lowest firefighter title, as reported. The middle employer starts at $89,311.

What is the starting salary for a firefighter in California?

Lowest starting salary

$37,495

Olivehurst Public Utility District
Special district in Yuba County

Middle starting salary, California firefighters1

$89,311

half of the 203 employers start higher, half lower

Highest starting salary

$140,912

Hayward
City in Alameda County

Employers compared
203
with an official range for their firefighter titles
Starting at $100,000 or more
54
employers
Average total pay
$186,123
what full-year firefighters earned, overtime included
Above the start
$84,996
full-year pay above the starting salary, middle employer

Which California employers pay new firefighters the most?

The 25 highest starting salaries: the bottom of the official range for each employer's lowest firefighter title, as reported for 2025.

Highest starting salary

  1. HaywardCity in Alameda County
    Firefighter (56 Hr)    $140,912
  2. Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
    Firefighter    $137,126
  3. Santa Clara CountyCounty government
    Firefighter    $132,473
  4. San Mateo Consolidated Fire DepartmentJoint powers authority in San Mateo County
    Firefighter    $127,131
  5. Palo AltoCity in Santa Clara County
    Fire Fighter    $126,643
  6. San RafaelCity in Marin County
    Firefighter-Paramedic    $125,772
  7. BeniciaCity in Solano County
    Paramedic Firefighter    $125,157
  8. Chino Valley Independent Fire DistrictFire protection district in San Bernardino County
    Firefighter/Paramedic    $124,145
  9. MilpitasCity in Santa Clara County
    Entry Firefighter/EMT - 56    $121,383
  10. Alpine Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in San Diego County
    Firefighter/Paramedic    $120,366
  11. San JoseCity in Santa Clara County
    Fire Fighter    $119,956
  12. Central County Fire DepartmentJoint powers authority in San Mateo County
    Firefighter    $119,726
  13. RichmondCity in Contra Costa County
    Fire Fighter    $119,562
  14. Daly CityCity in San Mateo County
    Firefighter    $119,153
  15. Moraga/Orinda Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in Contra Costa County
    Firefighter    $118,680
  16. FremontCity in Alameda County
    Firefighter    $118,130
  17. ArcadiaCity in Los Angeles County
    Fire Paramedic    $116,832
  18. Menlo Park Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in San Mateo County
    Firefighter    $115,475
  19. El CerritoCity in Contra Costa County
    Firefighter    $115,188
  20. San BrunoCity in San Mateo County
    Firefighter    $114,853
  21. Alameda CountyCounty government
    Firefighter    $114,645
  22. BrisbaneCity in San Mateo County
    Firefighter    $114,412
  23. Central Marin Fire AuthorityJoint powers authority in Marin County
    Firefighter/Paramedic    $113,616
  24. San MarinoCity in Los Angeles County
    Firefighter/Paramedic    $113,016
  25. Ross Valley Fire DepartmentJoint powers authority in Marin County
    Firefighter/Paramedic    $112,228

Middle California employer, $89,311

Which California counties pay new firefighters the most?

The middle starting salary across each county's employers, where at least 3 report one.

Middle starting salary, firefighters, 2025under $70,000$70,000 to $84,000$84,000 to $90,000$90,000 to $104,000$104,000 or moreLeft outNone in the dataEach shade holds about a fifth of the counties. Outlines: US Census Bureau.
  1. Santa Clara County7 employers$121,383
  2. Contra Costa County5 employers$115,188
  3. San Mateo County8 employers$115,164
  4. Marin County4 employers$112,922
  5. Alameda County8 employers$107,183
  6. Solano County5 employers$103,994
  7. Yolo County3 employers$97,950
  8. Monterey County5 employers$95,604
  9. San Diego County22 employers$92,872
  10. Santa Barbara County6 employers$89,927
  11. Los Angeles County27 employers$89,826
  12. Ventura County3 employers$89,535

Compare firefighter starting salaries at every California employer

Starting salary, the title it belongs to, and what full-year firefighters at the same employer earned. Click a column to sort it.

Showing 1 to 25 of 203 employers, highest starting salary first.

HaywardAlameda CountyAlameda$140,912Firefighter (56 Hr)$206,17750
Mountain ViewSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$137,126Firefighter$270,15831
Santa Clara CountySanta Clara CountySanta Clara$132,473Firefighter$225,543168
San Mateo Consolidated Fire DepartmentSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$127,131Firefighter$220,99887
Palo AltoSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$126,643Fire Fighter$206,03530
San RafaelMarin CountyMarin$125,772Firefighter-Paramedic$208,19135
BeniciaSolano CountySolano$125,157Paramedic Firefighter$164,32811
Chino Valley Independent Fire DistrictSan Bernardino CountySan Bernardino$124,145Firefighter/Paramedic$242,81354
MilpitasSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$121,383Entry Firefighter/EMT - 56$213,04328
Alpine Fire Protection DistrictSan Diego CountySan Diego$120,366Firefighter/Paramedic$158,16110
San JoseSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$119,956Fire Fighter$204,837232
Central County Fire DepartmentSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$119,726Firefighter$216,75856
RichmondContra Costa CountyContra Costa$119,562Fire Fighter$191,05632
Daly CitySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$119,153Firefighter$213,14020
Moraga/Orinda Fire Protection DistrictContra Costa CountyContra Costa$118,680Firefighter$219,46621
FremontAlameda CountyAlameda$118,130Firefighter$225,76943
ArcadiaLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$116,832Fire Paramedic$189,27423
Menlo Park Fire Protection DistrictSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$115,475Firefighter$170,7017
El CerritoContra Costa CountyContra Costa$115,188Firefighter$189,6707
San BrunoSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$114,853Firefighter$215,99020
Alameda CountyAlameda CountyAlameda$114,645Firefighter$210,661137
BrisbaneSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$114,412Firefighter$190,6868
Central Marin Fire AuthorityMarin CountyMarin$113,616Firefighter/Paramedic$189,27014
San MarinoLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$113,016Firefighter/Paramedic$190,13315
Ross Valley Fire DepartmentMarin CountyMarin$112,228Firefighter/ParamedicFewer than 57

Starting salary: the bottom of the official range for the employer's lowest firefighter title, as reported. "Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 firefighters worked the full year, too few for an average.

Questions about firefighter starting salaries in California

Which California employer has the highest starting salary for firefighters?

Hayward: $140,912 a year, the bottom of the official range for its Firefighter (56 Hr) title in 2025. Mountain View ($137,126) and Santa Clara County ($132,473) follow.

What is the starting salary for a firefighter in California?

It depends on the employer. Across the 203 California employers that report a range, the middle starting salary is $89,311 a year; the highest is $140,912, the lowest $37,495.

How much more do firefighters earn than their starting salary?

At the middle employer, full-year firefighters earned $84,996 more on average than the starting salary in 2025. Steps with years of service, promotions within the job and overtime make up the difference.

Which California county pays new firefighters the most?

Santa Clara County, where the middle starting salary across 7 employers is $121,383, followed by Contra Costa County ($115,188) and San Mateo County ($115,164).

Sources for the California starting salaries

Starting salaries are the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's lowest firefighter title, as the employer reported it. Some employers report the range for a title that already needs experience or a certificate; the table names the title so you can check. Average total pay covers only people who worked roughly the full year, and every pay figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: official pay ranges and wages as reported by each employer.

How we read the data