Fire fighting is an extremely dangerous job that demands knowledge, physical strength, agility, stamina, and courage.  It is a job that also requires compassion, understanding and the ability to work in hostile environments.  You must also be able to work as a member of a team and interact with fellow firefighters and the public.

If your goal is to become a firefighter, firefighter salaries may not be your most important criteria.  If you are a typical of most firefighter candidates, you have chosen the job because of the challenges and reward and not just the salary.

However, we are sure that you would like to have some idea of what you can expect earn once you become a firefighter.

Firefighter Salaries In Denver, Colorado

Here are some firefighter salary examples taken from a large American city, Denver, Colorado.  The city's contract with the firefighters union calls for the following firefighter salaries (effective January 1, 2008):

Firefighter 1st Grade $61,548

Firefighter 2nd Grade $51,206

Firefighter 3rd Grade $46,085

Firefighter 4th Grade $41,605

Engineer $71,048

Technician $68,808

Fire Systems Technical Specialist and Mechanic 1 $74,889

Firefighter Salaries In Colorado Springs, Colorado

In comparison, the city of Colorado Springs, a mid-sized city, firefighter salaries are as follows (effective January 1, 2008):

Firefighter 1st Grade $60,576

Firefighter 2nd Grade $53,844

Firefighter 3rd Grade $47,868

Firefighter 4th Grade $42,552

Firefighter Salaries In Grand Junction, Colorado

Finally, a small city, Grand Junction, CO pays the following firefighter salaries per month: 

                    Entry level    Step 1    Step 2    Proficient
Firefighter            $3695       $3879     $4073       $4481
Paramedic/Firefighter  $4082       $4286     $4500       $4950
Engineer               $4490       $4714                 $4950

National Average Firefighter Salaries

There are also national average salaries for firefighters.  These averages show that the median base salary for a firefighter is $38,451, and those in the 75th percentile earned an average of $48,065.

Note: The figures shown here are only base salaries.  Since firefighting is a civil service job and one in which you will most likely be represented by a union, there will also be a number of fringe benefits -- such as paid health insurance, retirement pensions, etc.  Also, some fire departments pay for overtime which, is not included in these salary figures.

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