How much do firefighters make in Dallas? The average firefighter salary in the Dallas metro area is $67,220 a year (median $64,900), which is above the national average of $63,630 and above the Texas average of $60,390. Entry-level firefighters earn around $48,460, and the most experienced earn up to $92,700. The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey covering May 2025, the most recent available.
Firefighter Salary in Dallas: The Numbers
| Metric | Dallas metro | Texas | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average (mean) | $67,220 | $60,390 | $63,630 |
| Median | $64,900 | — | $59,280 |
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $48,460 | — | $34,910 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $92,700 | — | $101,040 |
| Firefighters employed in metro | 8,780 | — | — |
The metro area figure covers the whole Dallas region, not just the city department, so it blends big-city pay with the suburban and county departments around it. The median is usually the better guide to what a mid-career firefighter takes home in base pay.
Who Hires Firefighters in Dallas
Dallas Fire-Rescue and Fort Worth Fire Department are the big employers, with Arlington, Plano, Irving, Garland, and a ring of fast-growing suburban departments competing for recruits and raising pay to do it.
What Changes the Number
- Overtime. Most departments in the metro run 24-hour shifts, and overtime, holiday, and call-back pay commonly add 10 to 30 percent to base salary. None of that is in the BLS figure.
- Paramedic pay. Paramedic certification is the single biggest raise available to a firefighter in Dallas, typically $5,000 to $15,000 a year.
- Rank. Engineer, lieutenant, captain, and chief officer each bring a step up; chief officers at the largest departments in the metro earn well into six figures.
- Cost of living. No state income tax and moderate housing outside the core make DFW one of the better pay-to-cost ratios among large metros.
How to Get Hired in Dallas
The path is the same as anywhere: meet the age and education requirements, pass a written exam and the CPAT, clear a background and medical, and complete the academy. Most departments in the metro require or strongly prefer EMT certification. Start with how to become a firefighter in Texas, check the full Texas salary breakdown, and use the eligibility checker before you apply.
