Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ make a median of $61,780 a year, or about $29.7 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $59,795 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,839/month, about 44.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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.
About firefighters
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What this looks like in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Firefighters pay in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,839/month, which is 44% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for firefighters in metros near Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tucson | $48K | $49K |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $55K | $58K |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $49K | $50K |
| Flagstaff | $50K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Firefighters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $101K | +70% | 12,950 |
| Washington | $95K | +59% | 7,560 |
| California | $85K | +44% | 31,470 |
| New Jersey | $84K | +42% | 7,500 |
| Illinois | $78K | +32% | 18,400 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +31% | 2,970 |
| District of Columbia | $76K | +28% | 1,480 |
| Colorado | $74K | +25% | 6,510 |
| Maryland | $74K | +25% | 5,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $73K | +24% | 5,020 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +23% | 11,940 |
| Oregon | $71K | +20% | 3,790 |
| Rhode Island | $67K | +14% | 1,620 |
| Nevada | $67K | +12% | 2,640 |
| Indiana | $63K | +6% | 8,530 |
| Nebraska | $61K | +3% | 1,070 |
| Texas | $60K | +2% | 28,170 |
| Ohio | $59K | +0% | 18,100 |
| Montana | $59K | +0% | 1,010 |
| Arizona | $59K | +0% | 7,500 |
| Alaska | $59K | -1% | 1,040 |
| Virginia | $59K | -1% | 11,160 |
| Florida | $59K | -1% | 24,570 |
| Wyoming | $58K | -2% | 680 |
| New Hampshire | $57K | -4% | 2,700 |
| Iowa | $56K | -6% | 2,170 |
| North Dakota | $55K | -7% | 820 |
| Michigan | $55K | -8% | 6,610 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -16% | 4,150 |
| Tennessee | $49K | -17% | 7,020 |
| Missouri | $49K | -17% | 6,580 |
| Utah | $48K | -19% | 2,870 |
| Maine | $48K | -19% | 2,480 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -19% | 610 |
| Alabama | $48K | -20% | 7,260 |
| Idaho | $47K | -20% | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | -21% | 8,120 |
| Delaware | $47K | -21% | 560 |
| Georgia | $47K | -21% | 12,700 |
| Vermont | $46K | -22% | N/A |
| Kansas | $46K | -23% | 3,360 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -28% | 7,780 |
| New Mexico | $42K | -30% | 2,420 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -33% | 2,480 |
| Minnesota | $38K | -36% | 5,810 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -36% | 19,410 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -37% | 900 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -37% | 5,150 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -39% | 2,920 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -44% | 5,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 44% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,839/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,731/month. At HUD’s $1,839/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler compare to the national average for firefighters?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do firefighters make in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median is $61,780 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,510, and experienced firefighters can clear $91,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,178/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,839/month, which eats 44% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median firefighters salary is worth about $59,795 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.