Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in Minnesota make a median of $38,110 a year, or about $18.32 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $41,156 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,384/month, about 52.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $38K actually covers in Minnesota, month by month
About firefighters
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Pay for firefighters in Minnesota runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,384/month, which is 52.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for firefighters.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Minnesota
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters salary by metro in Minnesota
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $39K | +3% | 3,980 |
| Duluth | $37K | -2% | 380 |
| Rochester | $35K | -8% | 230 |
| Mankato | $34K | -10% | 120 |
| St. Cloud | $34K | -11% | 210 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 52.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,954/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Minnesota?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $38K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for firefighters?
Minnesota pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do firefighters make in Minnesota?
The median is $38,110 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,510, and experienced firefighters can clear $70,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,617/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 52.9% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $41,156 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.