Firefighter Salary in San Jose, CA
Firefighters in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $152,100 a year — 157% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $103,333 take-home, or $8,611 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median firefighter salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$25,238
- Social Security (6.2%)$9,430
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,205
- California income tax$9,916
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,977
- Take-home pay$103,333
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Firefighter pay by experience in San Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $59,680 | $28.69 | $47,727 | $3,977 |
| 25th percentile | $93,800 | $45.10 | $69,105 | $5,759 |
| Median (50th) | $152,100 | $73.13 | $103,333 | $8,611 |
| 75th percentile | $166,770 | $80.18 | $111,805 | $9,317 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $181,270 | $87.15 | $120,179 | $10,015 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $152,100 buys in San Jose, CA
Prices in San Jose, CA are 10.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median firefighter's $103,333 take-home pay has the buying power of $93,580 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 San Jose, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.53), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for firefighters, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #1 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 California
- San Francisco, CA — $113,700
- Sacramento, CA — $94,080
- Los Angeles, CA — $98,050
- 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 San Jose, CA?
The median firefighter salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $152,100 a year, or about $73.13 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $93,800 and $166,770.
What is a firefighter’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $152,100 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $103,333 a year ($8,611 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $11,893 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a firefighter?
Pay here is 157% above the national median of $59,280. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $93,580 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #1 of 133 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a firefighter afford rent in San Jose, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Jose, CA is $2,957 a month ($3,464 for two bedrooms) — 34% of a median firefighter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Jose, CA
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $136,140
- Correctional Officer and Jailer — $132,670
- Crossing Guard and Flagger — $58,810
- First-Line Supervisor of Security Workers — $57,910
- Protective Service Workers, All Other — $56,240
- Security Guard — $46,250
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers — $42,460