Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in Indiana make a median of $62,780 a year, or about $30.18 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $68,380 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $63K get you in Indiana?
About firefighters
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What this looks like in Indiana
Firefighters pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,144/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters salary by metro in Indiana
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne | $76K | +21% | 420 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $68K | +9% | 3,740 |
| Evansville | $67K | +6% | 330 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $65K | +4% | 160 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $64K | +2% | 270 |
| Muncie | $63K | +0% | 130 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $56K | -10% | 440 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $55K | -13% | 200 |
| Terre Haute | $54K | -13% | 150 |
| Columbus | $44K | -31% | 90 |
| Bloomington | $38K | -40% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
Compare to other states
Track firefighters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 27.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,308/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is firefighter a high-paying job in Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for firefighters?
Indiana pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do firefighters make in Indiana?
The median is $62,780 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,460, and experienced firefighters can clear $81,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,214/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 27.1% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $68,380 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.