Firefighter Salary in New York, NY
Firefighters in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $106,420 a year — 80% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $78,458 take-home, or $6,538 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median firefighter salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$14,582
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,598
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,543
- New York income tax$5,239
- Take-home pay$78,458
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.90% state
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Firefighter pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $56,390 | $27.11 | $45,041 | $3,753 |
| 25th percentile | $74,880 | $36.00 | $58,062 | $4,838 |
| Median (50th) | $106,420 | $51.16 | $78,458 | $6,538 |
| 75th percentile | $106,430 | $51.17 | $78,464 | $6,539 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $115,380 | $55.47 | $84,233 | $7,019 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $106,420 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median firefighter's $78,458 take-home pay has the buying power of $69,701 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 New York, NY than nationally (location quotient 0.71), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for firefighters, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #4 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 |
*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 New York
- Rochester, NY — $89,120
- Buffalo, NY — $74,470
- Albany, NY — $70,840
Frequently asked questions
How much does a firefighter make in New York, NY?
The median firefighter salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $106,420 a year, or about $51.16 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $74,880 and $106,430.
What is a firefighter’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $106,420 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $78,458 a year ($6,538 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,239 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a firefighter?
Pay here is 80% above the national median of $59,280. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $69,701 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #4 of 133 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a firefighter afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 36% of a median firefighter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
- First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives — $135,270
- First-Line Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers — $132,810
- First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers — $121,600
- Detective and Criminal Investigator — $106,440
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $105,540
- Correctional Officer and Jailer — $93,220
- First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other — $86,860
- Bailiff — $83,360
- Transportation Security Screener — $72,340
- Fire Inspector and Investigator — $65,710
- First-Line Supervisor of Security Workers — $59,890
- Private Detective and Investigator — $59,140