Firefighter Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Firefighters in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $98,050 a year — 65% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $71,644 take-home, or $5,970 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median firefighter salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$12,741
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,079
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,422
- California income tax$4,889
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,275
- Take-home pay$71,644
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Firefighter pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $58,710 | $28.23 | $47,018 | $3,918 |
| 25th percentile | $77,720 | $37.37 | $59,490 | $4,958 |
| Median (50th) | $98,050 | $47.14 | $71,644 | $5,970 |
| 75th percentile | $127,660 | $61.38 | $89,219 | $7,435 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $150,760 | $72.48 | $102,559 | $8,547 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $98,050 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median firefighter's $71,644 take-home pay has the buying power of $63,086 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 less concentrated in Los Angeles, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.52), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for firefighters, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #10 of 133 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $152,100 | $103,333 | $93,580 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $101,090 | $79,947 | $71,938 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $113,700 | $80,995 | $70,057 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $106,420 | $78,458 | $69,701 |
| 5 | Rochester, NY | $89,120 | $67,308 | $69,365 |
| 6 | Spokane, WA | $83,310 | $67,439 | $67,206 |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $81,360 | $66,067 | $65,404 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $94,080 | $69,272 | $64,941 |
| 10 | Los Angeles, CA | $98,050 | $71,644 | $63,086 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 133 metros →
Firefighter salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $152,100
- San Francisco, CA — $113,700
- Sacramento, CA — $94,080
- Fresno, CA — $79,160
- Riverside, CA — $79,160
- Salinas, CA — $81,070
- Bakersfield, CA — $72,410
- Oxnard, CA — $77,400
Frequently asked questions
How much does a firefighter make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median firefighter salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $98,050 a year, or about $47.14 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $77,720 and $127,660.
What is a firefighter’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $98,050 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $71,644 a year ($5,970 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $6,164 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a firefighter?
Pay here is 65% above the national median of $59,280. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $63,086 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #10 of 133 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a firefighter afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median firefighter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers — $169,350
- First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives — $167,600
- Detective and Criminal Investigator — $127,890
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $121,980
- First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other — $94,810
- Correctional Officer and Jailer — $78,770
- Transportation Security Screener — $73,610
- Private Detective and Investigator — $61,680
- Parking Enforcement Worker — $55,820
- Crossing Guard and Flagger — $55,700
- First-Line Supervisor of Security Workers — $49,900
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers — $43,800