How Much Do Firefighters Make in Kentucky? 2026 Salary Data

Nationally, firefighters make $63,630 a year on average. See how much firefighters make in every state, ranked.

If you're considering a career in firefighting in Kentucky, one of the first questions you probably have is about pay. How much do firefighters actually make in Kentucky? Is it enough to support a family? And how does it compare to what firefighters earn in other states?

Right now, there are 4 Kentucky firefighter openings with a listed yearly salary on FireJobs (updated Oct 7, 2026); the newest, from City of Mayfield Fire Department, starts at $42,000. For the full picture, we pair that with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025, published 2026), the official average pay for every firefighter in Kentucky. Let's break it all down.

The average firefighter salary in Kentucky is $42,100 per year (BLS, May 2025, published 2026), which is below the national average of $63,630. Kentucky ranks #47 out of 50 states for firefighter pay. Entry level firefighters can expect to earn around $27,870, while the most experienced firefighters earn up to $60,720 annually.

What Departments Are Posting Now (FireJobs, as of October 2026)

There are 4 current firefighter postings in Kentucky with a listed yearly salary, ranging from $42,000 to $60,569. We only publish a median with 8 or more postings, because a median of a handful of listings can swing a lot from week to week.

Department	Position	Posted pay (yearly)	Listed
City of Mayfield Fire Department	Firefighter Recruit	$42,000 to $48,900	Sep 28
Glasgow Fire Department	Firefighter, Fire - Main	$46,629	Sep 19
City of Fort Wright Fire/EMS	Firefighter/Paramedic (Full Time)	$60,569	Aug 4
Nicholasville Fire Department	Firefighter / EMT Recruit	$50,186	May 26

See all current firefighter openings in Kentucky on FireJobs

These are advertised starting salaries in current full time, entry level firefighter job postings, not averages of what firefighters earn. Posted pay often excludes overtime and incentives, and the BLS figures below include experienced firefighters, so the two numbers measure different things.

Live postings: FireJobs, updated Oct 7, 2026

How Much Do Firefighters Make in Kentucky?

Here are the key numbers for firefighters in Kentucky, straight from the BLS:

Metric	Kentucky	National
Average (mean) annual salary	$42,100	$63,630
Median annual salary	$37,150	$59,280
Entry level (10th percentile)	$27,870	$34,910
Top earners (90th percentile)	$60,720	$101,040
Firefighters employed	5,150	,

Federal data: BLS, May 2025 (published 2026)

The median is often the more useful number. Half of Kentucky firefighters earn more than $37,150 and half earn less. The average gets pulled around by a small number of very high earners in the biggest departments.

Firefighter Salary Breakdown in Kentucky

Entry level: Around $27,870. This is what a probationary firefighter at a smaller or rural department can expect in year one.
Mid career: Around $37,150. Most firefighters with five to ten years on the job land in this range.
Experienced / senior: Up to $60,720 and beyond. Top step firefighters, engineers, and lieutenants at the largest departments, especially with overtime and paramedic pay, sit here.

Louisville Fire Department and Lexington Fire Department are the two major employers, with the Louisville suburban fire districts, Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Covington next. Eastern Kentucky is mostly volunteer.

Kentucky vs. National Average

At $42,100, the average Kentucky firefighter earns about $21,530 (34%) less than the national average of $63,630. That puts Kentucky at #47 of 50 states. For comparison, California leads the country at $95,090 and the lowest paying state comes in at $36,610.

Kentucky's cost of living is well below the national average, and both Louisville and Lexington remain affordable for a public safety salary.

Factors That Affect Firefighter Pay in Kentucky

Department size and location. Big city departments pay the most. The largest employers are in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Covington.
Union representation. Kentucky's career firefighters are unionized through IAFF locals, and the state provides an annual training incentive stipend to certified career firefighters on top of city pay.
Certifications. Paramedic certification is the single biggest pay bump for most firefighters, often adding $5,000 to $15,000 a year. Hazmat, technical rescue, and driver/operator certifications add more.
Overtime. Most departments run 24 hour shifts, and overtime, holiday pay, and call back pay can add 10% to 30% on top of base salary.
Rank. Promotion to engineer, lieutenant, captain, and chief officer each brings a meaningful raise. Chief officers in Kentucky's large departments earn well into six figures.

How to Become a Firefighter in Kentucky

The basic path is the same everywhere: meet the age and education requirements, pass a written test and the CPAT physical ability test, clear a background check and medical exam, and complete a fire academy. Many Kentucky departments strongly prefer or require EMT certification, and paramedic certification makes you a much stronger candidate.

We have a full step by step guide: How to Become a Firefighter in Kentucky.

Is Being a Firefighter in Kentucky Worth It?

Pay is only part of the picture. Firefighters in Kentucky typically get a defined benefit pension, employer paid health insurance, and a schedule that leaves plenty of days off for family or a second job. Against that you have to weigh the physical toll, the exposure to trauma, and the long term health risks that come with the job. For most people who want this career, the answer is still yes. Just go in with realistic numbers.

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