Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in Pittsburgh, PA make a median of $72,230 a year, or about $34.73 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $76,297 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 26.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $72K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh sits well above the national pay line for firefighters, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,299/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for firefighters in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $78K | $76K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $73K | $73K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $60K | $65K |
| Reading | $75K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $27K 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 Pittsburgh numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 27.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,950/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Pittsburgh?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $72K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for firefighters?
Pittsburgh pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do firefighters make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $72,230 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,160, and experienced firefighters can clear $76,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,749/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 27.4% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $76,297 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.