Firefighters Salary in Buffalo, NY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

Median annual salary $72,790 +22.3% vs national
Median hourly $35.00
10th percentile $47,590
90th percentile $80,030
Employed locally 850
National median $59,530

Compare Firefighters salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Buffalo, NY stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Firefighters
in
Buffalo, NY
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $47,590
    25th
    $58,650
    50th (median)
    $72,790
    75th
    $80,030
    90th
    $80,030

    Buffalo economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $70,572 2023 • Census ACS
    Firefighters salary vs area income 103% Median Firefighters salary is 3% above the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Firefighters

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $164,940
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $121,270
    Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $108,320
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $105,250
    Vallejo, CA $104,460
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $102,220

    Nearby metros — Firefighters salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $164,940
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $105,250
    Rochester, NY $88,380
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $76,880
    Syracuse, NY $73,400
    Utica-Rome, NY $73,170

    Related occupations in Buffalo, NY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Security Guards $38,210
    Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $80,060
    Correctional Officers and Jailers $75,330
    School Bus Monitors $35,060
    Detectives and Criminal Investigators $96,040
    First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $100,870

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Firefighters make per hour in Buffalo?

    The median hourly wage for Firefighters in Buffalo, NY is $35.00, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $38.91 or more per hour.

    Is Buffalo above or below average for Firefighters salaries?

    The median Firefighters salary in Buffalo, NY is 22.3% above the national median of $59,530. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Firefighters in Buffalo?

    Entry-level Firefighters (10th percentile) earn around $47,590 per year in Buffalo, NY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $58,650.