Firefighters Salary in California
BLS OEWS May 2025 • 28 metro areas • California
Firefighters in California earn a median salary of $79,852 per year on average across 28 metro and nonmetro areas, +34.1% vs the national median of $59,530. An estimated 27,720 firefighters are employed across California, with salaries ranging from $52,440 to $164,940 depending on location.
$79,852
Avg median salary in California
$164,940
Highest paying metro
$52,440
Lowest paying metro
27,720
Employed in California
Compare Firefighters salaries & buying power
Pick two cities to see how salary and purchasing power differ.
Firefighters
in
Firefighters salaries by city in California
| Metro area | Median salary | 25th pct | 75th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $164,940 | $118,370 | $164,940 | 1,180 |
| San Francisco, CA | $121,270 | $100,710 | $124,010 | 3,410 |
| Sacramento, CA | $108,320 | $83,080 | $137,520 | 2,140 |
| Vallejo, CA | $104,460 | $82,430 | $132,820 | 330 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $99,210 | $79,020 | $129,170 | 7,200 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $88,440 | $61,380 | $101,370 | 410 |
| Modesto, CA | $84,200 | $71,250 | $92,260 | 360 |
| Salinas, CA | $79,310 | $62,920 | $95,090 | 590 |
| Napa, CA | $78,780 | $62,470 | $103,610 | 260 |
| Redding, CA | $77,130 | $60,120 | $86,690 | 320 |
| Stockton, CA | $77,100 | $62,800 | $104,150 | 310 |
| Riverside, CA | $75,230 | $60,660 | $86,100 | 2,720 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $74,860 | $65,730 | $103,150 | 300 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $74,130 | $61,240 | $110,430 | 360 |
| Oxnard, CA | $74,090 | $59,520 | $79,580 | 610 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $73,930 | $61,390 | $82,690 | 330 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $72,410 | $57,710 | $470,940 | 780 |
| Chico, CA | $71,830 | $59,680 | $86,080 | 350 |
| Yuba City, CA | $70,400 | $51,220 | $81,170 | 130 |
| San Diego, CA | $70,120 | $57,360 | $82,600 | 2,530 |
| Fresno, CA | $68,600 | $57,310 | $82,610 | 740 |
| North Coast Region of California | $66,880 | $55,550 | $78,780 | 360 |
| Merced, CA | $65,340 | $62,860 | $77,450 | 170 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California | $63,730 | $46,800 | $78,780 | 570 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California | $63,730 | $55,550 | $78,780 | 640 |
| Visalia, CA | $61,100 | $42,490 | $76,920 | 360 |
| El Centro, CA | $53,880 | $41,330 | $76,480 | 150 |
| Hanford, CA | $52,440 | $49,750 | $63,700 | 110 |