Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in Maryland make a median of $73,810 a year, or about $35.49 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $74,737 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 37.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $74K get you in Maryland?
About firefighters
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What this looks like in Maryland
Maryland sits well above the national pay line for firefighters, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters salary by metro in Maryland
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $74K | +0% | 2,510 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $50K | -33% | 230 |
Compare to other states
Track firefighters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,882/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Maryland?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $74K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for firefighters?
Maryland pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do firefighters make in Maryland?
The median is $73,810 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,030, and experienced firefighters can clear $98,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,748/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 37.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a firefighters salary go in Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $74,737 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.