Firefighters Salary in Cleveland, OH
Firefighters in Cleveland, OH make a median of $62,460 a year, or about $30.03 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $66,503 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,279/month — about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $93K | +57% | 8,000 |
| New York | $88K | +48% | 14,730 |
| New Jersey | $88K | +47% | 6,590 |
| California | $83K | +40% | 27,580 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +33% | 1,430 |
| Illinois | $79K | +33% | 14,510 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +30% | 2,860 |
| Oregon | $73K | +23% | 3,660 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +23% | 11,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $71K | +20% | N/A |
| Maryland | $71K | +19% | 5,250 |
| Rhode Island | $69K | +17% | 1,590 |
| Nevada | $67K | +13% | 2,360 |
| Montana | $64K | +8% | 960 |
| Alaska | $63K | +6% | 1,040 |
| Nebraska | $62K | +4% | 1,060 |
| Indiana | $61K | +3% | 8,550 |
| Texas | $61K | +2% | 30,400 |
| Ohio | $59K | -0% | 18,750 |
| Arizona | $59K | -1% | 6,870 |
| Florida | $58K | -2% | 21,470 |
| Virginia | $58K | -2% | 10,820 |
| New Hampshire | $57K | -4% | 2,880 |
| Michigan | $56K | -7% | 7,390 |
| Iowa | $55K | -7% | 2,050 |
| Idaho | $54K | -10% | 2,100 |
| North Dakota | $54K | -10% | 750 |
| Wyoming | $52K | -13% | 680 |
| Utah | $49K | -17% | 2,650 |
| Missouri | $48K | -19% | 6,740 |
| Delaware | $48K | -19% | 450 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -20% | 8,010 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -20% | 540 |
| Alabama | $47K | -20% | 6,930 |
| Maine | $47K | -20% | 2,390 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -21% | 6,510 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -21% | 4,110 |
| Vermont | $46K | -23% | 470 |
| Georgia | $46K | -23% | 11,660 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -23% | 7,570 |
| Kansas | $44K | -26% | 3,630 |
| New Mexico | $43K | -28% | 2,200 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -29% | 2,280 |
| Minnesota | $42K | -29% | 4,890 |
| West Virginia | $42K | -30% | 1,040 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -37% | 18,200 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -38% | 5,320 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -38% | 2,630 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -43% | 4,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track firefighters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do firefighters make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $62,460 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,610, and experienced firefighters can clear $77,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,267/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 30% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a firefighters salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median firefighters salary is worth about $66,503 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do firefighters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.