Firefighters Salary in Rochester, NY
Firefighters in Rochester, NY make a median of $88,380 a year, or about $42.49 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $91,085 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 28.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $88K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $93K | +57% | 8,000 |
| New York | $88K | +48% | 14,730 |
| New Jersey | $88K | +47% | 6,590 |
| California | $83K | +40% | 27,580 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +33% | 1,430 |
| Illinois | $79K | +33% | 14,510 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +30% | 2,860 |
| Oregon | $73K | +23% | 3,660 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +23% | 11,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $71K | +20% | N/A |
| Maryland | $71K | +19% | 5,250 |
| Rhode Island | $69K | +17% | 1,590 |
| Nevada | $67K | +13% | 2,360 |
| Montana | $64K | +8% | 960 |
| Alaska | $63K | +6% | 1,040 |
| Nebraska | $62K | +4% | 1,060 |
| Indiana | $61K | +3% | 8,550 |
| Texas | $61K | +2% | 30,400 |
| Ohio | $59K | -0% | 18,750 |
| Arizona | $59K | -1% | 6,870 |
| Florida | $58K | -2% | 21,470 |
| Virginia | $58K | -2% | 10,820 |
| New Hampshire | $57K | -4% | 2,880 |
| Michigan | $56K | -7% | 7,390 |
| Iowa | $55K | -7% | 2,050 |
| Idaho | $54K | -10% | 2,100 |
| North Dakota | $54K | -10% | 750 |
| Wyoming | $52K | -13% | 680 |
| Utah | $49K | -17% | 2,650 |
| Missouri | $48K | -19% | 6,740 |
| Delaware | $48K | -19% | 450 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -20% | 8,010 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -20% | 540 |
| Alabama | $47K | -20% | 6,930 |
| Maine | $47K | -20% | 2,390 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -21% | 6,510 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -21% | 4,110 |
| Vermont | $46K | -23% | 470 |
| Georgia | $46K | -23% | 11,660 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -23% | 7,570 |
| Kansas | $44K | -26% | 3,630 |
| New Mexico | $43K | -28% | 2,200 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -29% | 2,280 |
| Minnesota | $42K | -29% | 4,890 |
| West Virginia | $42K | -30% | 1,040 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -37% | 18,200 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -38% | 5,320 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -38% | 2,630 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -43% | 4,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
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 Rochester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do firefighters make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $88,380 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,030, and experienced firefighters can clear $89,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,525/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 28.5% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (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 $91,085 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.