Firefighter Salary in Baltimore, MD
Firefighters in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $73,810 a year — 25% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $57,613 take-home, or $4,801 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median firefighter salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,408
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,576
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,070
- Maryland income tax$3,142
- Take-home pay$57,613
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $2,152 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $55,461 ($4,622 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Firefighter pay by experience in Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,500 | $23.32 | $39,210 | $3,267 |
| 25th percentile | $57,470 | $27.63 | $45,991 | $3,833 |
| Median (50th) | $73,810 | $35.49 | $57,613 | $4,801 |
| 75th percentile | $97,520 | $46.88 | $73,167 | $6,097 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,210 | $47.22 | $73,619 | $6,135 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $73,810 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median firefighter's $57,613 take-home pay has the buying power of $55,139 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Firefighter jobs are about as common in Baltimore, MD as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.83).
Best-paying cities for firefighters, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #13 of 34 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $101,090 | $79,947 | $71,938 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $113,700 | $80,995 | $70,057 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $106,420 | $78,458 | $69,701 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $94,080 | $69,272 | $64,941 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $87,980 | $67,561 | $63,868 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $98,050 | $71,644 | $63,086 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $82,820 | $63,139 | $60,948 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,050 | $61,342 | $59,814 |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD | $73,810 | $57,613 | $55,139 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 34 metros →
About the job: firefighters
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.7% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a firefighter make in Baltimore, MD?
The median firefighter salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $73,810 a year, or about $35.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $57,470 and $97,520.
What is a firefighter’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $73,810 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $57,613 a year ($4,801 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,142 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a firefighter?
Pay here is 25% above the national median of $59,280. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $55,139 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #13 of 34 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a firefighter afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 31% of a median firefighter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Baltimore, MD
- First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives — $124,660
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $76,530
- Correctional Officer and Jailer — $64,250
- Security Guard — $36,970
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers — $34,080