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

Right now, there is 1 New York firefighter opening with a listed yearly salary on FireJobs (updated Oct 7, 2026); the newest, from Fire Department City of New York (FDNY), starts at $54,122. 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 New York. Let's break it all down.

The average firefighter salary in New York is $87,150 per year (BLS, May 2025, published 2026), which is above the national average of $63,630. New York ranks #3 out of 50 states for firefighter pay. Entry level firefighters can expect to earn around $56,390, while the most experienced firefighters earn up to $106,440 annually.

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

There is 1 current firefighter posting in New York with a listed yearly salary, at $54,122. 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
Fire Department City of New York (FDNY)	Firefighter	$54,122	Oct 5

See all current firefighter openings in New York 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 New York?

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

Metric	New York	National
Average (mean) annual salary	$87,150	$63,630
Median annual salary	$100,960	$59,280
Entry level (10th percentile)	$56,390	$34,910
Top earners (90th percentile)	$106,440	$101,040
Firefighters employed	12,950	,

Federal data: BLS, May 2025 (published 2026)

The median is often the more useful number. Half of New York firefighters earn more than $100,960 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 New York

Entry level: Around $56,390. This is what a probationary firefighter at a smaller or rural department can expect in year one.
Mid career: Around $100,960. Most firefighters with five to ten years on the job land in this range.
Experienced / senior: Up to $106,440 and beyond. Top step firefighters, engineers, and lieutenants at the largest departments, especially with overtime and paramedic pay, sit here.

FDNY dwarfs everything else in the state with roughly 11,000 firefighters, and its top step pay with overtime routinely exceeds $100,000. Upstate cities like Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Yonkers also run sizable career departments. Long Island and much of upstate are protected by volunteer departments.

New York vs. National Average

At $87,150, the average New York firefighter earns about $23,520 (37%) more than the national average of $63,630. That puts New York at #3 of 50 states. For comparison, California leads the country at $95,090 and the lowest paying state comes in at $36,610.

New York City's cost of living is the obvious catch, and many FDNY members commute from Long Island, Westchester, or New Jersey. Upstate salaries are lower but housing is dramatically cheaper.

Factors That Affect Firefighter Pay in New York

Department size and location. Big city departments pay the most. The largest employers are in New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse, Albany.
Union representation. New York firefighters are among the most strongly unionized in the country. FDNY's UFA and UFOA and the upstate IAFF locals negotiate contracts with generous pensions through the state retirement system.
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 New York's large departments earn well into six figures.

How to Become a Firefighter in New York

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 New York 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 New York.

Is Being a Firefighter in New York Worth It?

Pay is only part of the picture. Firefighters in New York 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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