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

Right now, Ohio fire departments are advertising a median starting salary of $70,083 across 11 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 Ohio. Let's break it all down.

The average firefighter salary in Ohio is $58,130 per year (BLS, May 2025, published 2026), which is below the national average of $63,630. Ohio ranks #22 out of 50 states for firefighter pay. Entry level firefighters can expect to earn around $34,420, while the most experienced firefighters earn up to $84,010 annually.

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

The median advertised starting salary across 11 current firefighter postings in Ohio is $70,083, ranging from $58,592 to $80,371.

Recent postings:

Department	Position	Posted pay (yearly)	Listed
Mentor Fire Department	Firefighter/Paramedic	$80,371 to $101,468	Oct 5
Franklin Township Fire Department	Firefighter/Paramedic	$72,041 to $81,081	Sep 30
City of Galion Fire Department	Firefighter	$58,592 to $73,860	Sep 28
City of Shelby Fire Department	Firefighter	$60,659	Sep 15
Twinsburg Fire Department	Firefighter/Paramedic	$76,320 to $93,770	Sep 15

See all current firefighter openings in Ohio 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 Ohio?

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

Metric	Ohio	National
Average (mean) annual salary	$58,130	$63,630
Median annual salary	$59,370	$59,280
Entry level (10th percentile)	$34,420	$34,910
Top earners (90th percentile)	$84,010	$101,040
Firefighters employed	18,100	,

Federal data: BLS, May 2025 (published 2026)

The median is often the more useful number. Half of Ohio firefighters earn more than $59,370 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 Ohio

Entry level: Around $34,420. This is what a probationary firefighter at a smaller or rural department can expect in year one.
Mid career: Around $59,370. Most firefighters with five to ten years on the job land in this range.
Experienced / senior: Up to $84,010 and beyond. Top step firefighters, engineers, and lieutenants at the largest departments, especially with overtime and paramedic pay, sit here.

Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Toledo run the largest departments in the state and pay the most. Columbus Division of Fire, the largest, starts firefighters in the mid-$60,000s with top step pay above $90,000. Smaller cities and townships, many of which rely on part time or combination staffing, pay considerably less and pull the state average down.

Ohio vs. National Average

At $58,130, the average Ohio firefighter earns about $5,500 (9%) less than the national average of $63,630. That puts Ohio at #22 of 50 states. For comparison, California leads the country at $95,090 and the lowest paying states sit in the low $36,000s.

Ohio's cost of living is well below the national average, especially for housing. A $60,000 salary in Ohio goes a lot further than the same number in a coastal state, which makes the below average wage figure less concerning than it looks.

Factors That Affect Firefighter Pay in Ohio

Department size and location. Big city departments pay the most. The largest employers are in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton.
Union representation. Ohio firefighters are heavily unionized through IAFF locals, and collective bargaining is protected by state law. That keeps pay in the major cities competitive with neighboring states.
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 Ohio's large departments earn well into six figures.

How to Become a Firefighter in Ohio

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 Ohio 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 Ohio.

Is Being a Firefighter in Ohio Worth It?

Pay is only part of the picture. Firefighters in Ohio 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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