How Much Do Firefighters Make in Michigan? 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 Michigan, one of the first questions you probably have is about pay. How much do firefighters actually make in Michigan? Is it enough to support a family? And how does it compare to what firefighters earn in other states?

Right now, Michigan fire departments are advertising a median starting salary of $61,264 across 27 openings on FireJobs (updated Oct 7, 2026). 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 Michigan. Let's break it all down.

The average firefighter salary in Michigan is $56,250 per year (BLS, May 2025, published 2026), which is below the national average of $63,630. Michigan ranks #27 out of 50 states for firefighter pay. Entry level firefighters can expect to earn around $37,190, while the most experienced firefighters earn up to $78,550 annually.

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

The median advertised starting salary across 27 current firefighter postings in Michigan is $61,264, ranging from $43,872 to $86,347.

Recent postings:

Department	Position	Posted pay (yearly)	Listed
Orion Township Fire Department	Firefighter/Paramedic	$68,082 to $91,165	Oct 5
Rochester Hills Fire Department	Firefighter / Paramedic	$86,347 to $99,321	Sep 30
Lincoln Park Fire Department	Firefighter	$67,547 to $86,750	Sep 28
Michigan Department of Natural Resources	Paramedic/Firefighter	$60,339 to $79,093	Sep 28
Warren Fire Department	Firefighter	$68,803 to $102,658	Sep 28

See all current firefighter openings in Michigan 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 Michigan?

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

Metric	Michigan	National
Average (mean) annual salary	$56,250	$63,630
Median annual salary	$54,640	$59,280
Entry level (10th percentile)	$37,190	$34,910
Top earners (90th percentile)	$78,550	$101,040
Firefighters employed	6,610	,

Federal data: BLS, May 2025 (published 2026)

The median is often the more useful number. Half of Michigan firefighters earn more than $54,640 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 Michigan

Entry level: Around $37,190. This is what a probationary firefighter at a smaller or rural department can expect in year one.
Mid career: Around $54,640. Most firefighters with five to ten years on the job land in this range.
Experienced / senior: Up to $78,550 and beyond. Top step firefighters, engineers, and lieutenants at the largest departments, especially with overtime and paramedic pay, sit here.

Detroit Fire Department is the largest employer, with Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Ann Arbor, and the Oakland County suburbs behind it. Michigan has many combination departments and a large paid on call workforce in smaller communities.

Michigan vs. National Average

At $56,250, the average Michigan firefighter earns about $7,380 (12%) less than the national average of $63,630. That puts Michigan at #27 of 50 states. For comparison, California leads the country at $95,090 and the lowest paying state comes in at $36,610.

Michigan's cost of living is below the national average, and housing is affordable in nearly every metro, which makes the pay go further than the raw number suggests.

Factors That Affect Firefighter Pay in Michigan

Department size and location. Big city departments pay the most. The largest employers are in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Ann Arbor.
Union representation. Michigan firefighters have strong collective bargaining rights under Public Act 312, which provides binding arbitration for police and fire contracts.
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 Michigan's large departments earn well into six figures.

How to Become a Firefighter in Michigan

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 Michigan 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 Michigan.

Is Being a Firefighter in Michigan Worth It?

Pay is only part of the picture. Firefighters in Michigan 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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