Firefighter & Paramedic Pay Calculator

Firefighter base salary is the annual amount negotiated in a department's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before overtime, stipends, or specialty pay. On a 24/48 shift schedule — 24 hours on duty followed by 48 hours off — a firefighter averages approximately 2,920 scheduled hours per year, far exceeding the FLSA 207(k) threshold of 2,767 hours. This means most 24/48 firefighters earn overtime every 28-day work period.

To calculate your regular hourly rate, divide your base annual salary by your scheduled annual hours. For example, a $65,000 base on a 24/48 schedule (2,920 hours) yields a regular rate of about $22.26/hr. Overtime is paid at 1.5× that rate — roughly $33.39/hr — for every hour beyond 212 in each 28-day period. Use the calculator above to input your exact base salary, shift schedule, and monthly overtime hours to see your true annual compensation.

Our directory covers 78+ US fire departments across all 50 states, with base salary ranges, pension multiplier data, cost-of-living indices, and state income tax rates. Quick-select a state below to jump to its department salary tables:

Firefighter overtime follows FLSA Section 207(k), which permits fire departments to define a 28-day work period instead of the standard 7-day week. Under this exemption, overtime is not triggered until a firefighter exceeds 212 hours in that 28-day window. Different shift schedules — 24/48, 48/96, Kelly, or 72-hour — produce different annual hour totals, which directly determines how much overtime a firefighter earns.

Shift stipends and specialty pay are added on top of base salary. Paramedic stipends typically add $4,000–$8,000 annually, hazmat certification adds $3,000–$5,000, and technical rescue adds $2,000–$4,000. Many departments also offer longevity pay (increasing with years of service) and education incentive pay for completed degrees. Importantly, many of these stipends are pensionable — they raise the final average salary used to calculate retirement benefits, compounding their value over a full career. Toggle the specialty pay switches in the calculator above to see their impact.

Firefighter compensation in the United States is governed by a unique set of labor rules that differ significantly from standard 40-hour workweek employment. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Section 207(k) allows fire departments to use a 28-day work period instead of the traditional 7-day workweek. Under this provision, firefighters do not earn overtime until they exceed 212 hours worked in a 28-day period — roughly 2767 hours annually. This is dramatically higher than the 160-hour threshold that applies to standard employees over a four-week span.

This 207(k) exemption is the reason shift schedule type has such a profound impact on total compensation. A firefighter on a 24/48 schedule averages approximately 2,920 hours per year, comfortably exceeding the FLSA threshold and generating substantial overtime pay. The 48/96 schedule concentrates hours into longer tours but produces a similar annual total. The Kelly Schedule — which averages 52.5 hours per week across a 9-day cycle — is specifically designed to maximize overtime accrual while maintaining adequate rest periods. By contrast, a 72-hour work week pushes firefighters far beyond the 212-hour threshold every period.

Overtime is calculated at 1.5× the regular hourly rate. The regular rate is derived by dividing the firefighter's base annual salary by their scheduled hours. This means that two firefighters with identical base salaries but different shift schedules can earn vastly different total compensation. Additionally, some departments offer premium pay for certifications (paramedic, HazMat, technical rescue) and hazardous duty stipends that are added to the base before overtime calculations — further amplifying the differences between cities.

A firefighter's pension is often the single most valuable component of their total compensation package — frequently worth more than $1 million over a retirement lasting 25+ years. Pension multipliers vary significantly across municipal systems. Most fire pensions use a per-year-of-service multiplier between 2.0% and 3.0%. At 25 years of service, a 3.0% multiplier yields a 75% pension, while a 2.5% multiplier yields 62.5%. Over a 30-year retirement, that 0.5% difference can represent over $300,000 in lifetime benefits.

New York City FDNY operates on a distinct structure — a flat 50% of final average salary after 20 years, plus variable supplements. California systems (LAFPP, CalPERS safety members) commonly use 3.0% per year. Texas cities like Dallas and Houston typically use 2.5%. Chicago uses approximately 2.4%. Some systems offer DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Plan) programs that allow firefighters to continue working while their pension accrues in a separate interest-bearing account, effectively providing a lump-sum payout at final retirement.

Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are equally critical. A firefighter earning $98,000 in San Francisco (COL index ~193) has roughly the same purchasing power as one earning $51,000 in Houston (COL index ~96). When evaluating a lateral transfer or career relocation, always compare the COL-adjusted purchasing power rather than the nominal salary. Regional inflation, housing costs, and state income tax rates further compound these differences. California's 9.3% top marginal income tax rate and high property values can erode a six-figure salary faster than a $60,000 salary in a no-income-tax state like Texas or Florida.

Pension contributions also reduce take-home pay. Most firefighters contribute between 8% and 11% of their salary to the pension fund. This is deducted pre-tax, which provides some tax relief, but it still represents a significant reduction in monthly cash flow. When comparing cities, factor in both the contribution rate and the eventual benefit — a city with a higher contribution rate may offer a more generous pension, making it a better long-term play despite lower immediate take-home pay.

The comparator is designed to be used in under two minutes, but the quality of your output depends on the accuracy of your inputs. Follow these steps to get a meaningful comparison between any two US fire departments.

1. Select your state and department for each city. Use the cascading dropdowns on the left for City A and the right for City B. The tool loads base salary, cost-of-living index, pension rules, and state tax rates automatically from the department profile.
2. Choose your rank and shift schedule. Rank selection (Probationary through Battalion Chief) adjusts the base salary multiplier. Shift schedule (24/48, 48/96, Kelly, or 72-hour) determines your scheduled annual hours, which drives the FLSA overtime threshold calculation.
3. Enter your actual base salary or hourly rate. Override the default if you know your exact step. The tool derives the regular hourly rate by dividing base pay by scheduled annual hours — this is the number used for all overtime math.
4. Set your average monthly overtime hours. Be realistic. Hours beyond the FLSA 212-hour 28-day threshold are paid at 1.5× the regular rate. If you're unsure, start with 60–80 hours per month and adjust.
5. Toggle your specialty stipends. Enable paramedic, hazmat, technical rescue, longevity, and education incentive pay as applicable. These are added to gross annual compensation and, in most departments, raise the regular rate for overtime purposes.
6. Configure the pension estimator. Set your years of service, the system's pension multiplier, your target retirement age, and the expected COLA. The tool projects annual pension income and a 20/30-year growth chart.
7. Read the verdict panel. The summary panel declares a winner for take-home pay, COL-adjusted purchasing power, and projected pension. Use the print/export button to save a PDF summary for your records or to share with a financial advisor.

A compensation offer is more than a number on a letterhead. These best practices will help you evaluate any firefighter job offer or lateral transfer with the rigor it deserves.

Compare Total Compensation, Not Just Base Pay

Base salary is the least useful number on a compensation sheet. Two departments with identical base pay can differ by $20,000 or more in total earnings once overtime, stipends, and shift differentials are included. Always build a full-stack comparison: base + FLSA overtime + specialty stipends − taxes − pension contributions = real take-home pay. This tool does that automatically.

Adjust for Cost of Living Before Judging a Raise

A $20,000 raise into a city with a 50% higher cost of living is a pay cut. Divide the gross salary by the COL index and multiply by 100 to get purchasing-power-equivalent dollars. The tool's COL-adjusted purchasing power metric does this for you. Housing is usually the largest driver — research rent or mortgage costs in the target city before accepting any offer.

Model the Pension Over a Full Career

A pension is a 25+ year stream of income that can exceed $1 million in lifetime value. Small differences in multiplier (2.5% vs 3.0%), COLA provisions, and contribution rates compound dramatically. Use the pension estimator to project benefits at your realistic retirement age and years of service — not the maximum. A generous pension you never vest in is worth zero.

Verify Everything with Official Sources

This tool uses publicly available data that may be outdated or simplified. Before signing anything, confirm base pay, step placement, stipend amounts, pension rules, and healthcare costs with the department's HR office and the pension system's official documentation. Collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) are the authoritative source for pay and working conditions.