Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in Wisconsin make a median of $46,850 a year, or about $22.53 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $49,666 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in Wisconsin?
About firefighters
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for firefighters in Wisconsin runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 37.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 firefighterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters salary by metro in Wisconsin
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan | $80K | +70% | 80 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $66K | +41% | 190 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $64K | +36% | 260 |
| Madison | $56K | +20% | 1,230 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $52K | +10% | 300 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $50K | +6% | 2,130 |
| Green Bay | $48K | +2% | 590 |
| Kenosha | $47K | +0% | 280 |
| Wausau | $47K | -0% | 260 |
| Appleton | $47K | -0% | 320 |
| Fond du Lac | $45K | -4% | 120 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $39K | -17% | 250 |
| Eau Claire | $36K | -23% | 310 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
Compare to other states
Track firefighters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 37.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,763/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $47K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for firefighters?
Wisconsin pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do firefighters make in Wisconsin?
The median is $46,850 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,390, and experienced firefighters can clear $77,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,187/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 37.7% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $49,666 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.