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

Right now, there are 6 Oregon firefighter openings with a listed yearly salary on FireJobs (updated Oct 7, 2026); the newest, from Gresham Fire & Emergency Services, starts at $80,437. 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 Oregon. Let's break it all down.

The average firefighter salary in Oregon is $71,290 per year (BLS, May 2025, published 2026), which is above the national average of $63,630. Oregon ranks #12 out of 50 states for firefighter pay. Entry level firefighters can expect to earn around $38,800, while the most experienced firefighters earn up to $104,070 annually.

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

There are 6 current firefighter postings in Oregon with a listed yearly salary, ranging from $61,901 to $82,673. 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
Gresham Fire & Emergency Services	Firefighter EMT Basic and EMT Paramedic	$80,437 to $117,324	Sep 19
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Emergency Services	Firefighter EMT	$61,901 to $79,848	Sep 8
Ashland Fire and Rescue	Firefighter / EMT	$71,987 to $90,951	Sep 1
Ashland Fire and Rescue	Firefighter / Paramedic	$82,673 to $101,639	Sep 1
Dallas Fire & EMS Department	Firefighter/Paramedic	$71,957 to $91,838	Jul 28

See all current firefighter openings in Oregon 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 Oregon?

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

Metric	Oregon	National
Average (mean) annual salary	$71,290	$63,630
Median annual salary	$70,900	$59,280
Entry level (10th percentile)	$38,800	$34,910
Top earners (90th percentile)	$104,070	$101,040
Firefighters employed	3,790	,

Federal data: BLS, May 2025 (published 2026)

The median is often the more useful number. Half of Oregon firefighters earn more than $70,900 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 Oregon

Entry level: Around $38,800. This is what a probationary firefighter at a smaller or rural department can expect in year one.
Mid career: Around $70,900. Most firefighters with five to ten years on the job land in this range.
Experienced / senior: Up to $104,070 and beyond. Top step firefighters, engineers, and lieutenants at the largest departments, especially with overtime and paramedic pay, sit here.

Portland Fire & Rescue is the largest department, followed by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Eugene Springfield, Salem, and Clackamas Fire District. Oregon also has a large wildland firefighting workforce through the Department of Forestry, with heavy seasonal hiring.

Oregon vs. National Average

At $71,290, the average Oregon firefighter earns about $7,660 (12%) more than the national average of $63,630. That puts Oregon at #12 of 50 states. For comparison, California leads the country at $95,090 and the lowest paying state comes in at $36,610.

Portland area housing costs are high and have grown faster than wages. Departments in the Willamette Valley outside Portland and in southern Oregon offer a better cost of living balance.

Factors That Affect Firefighter Pay in Oregon

Department size and location. Big city departments pay the most. The largest employers are in Portland, Eugene, Salem, Gresham, Hillsboro, Bend.
Union representation. Oregon is a strong union state and its career firefighters work under IAFF contracts with solid pension benefits through PERS.
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 Oregon's large departments earn well into six figures.

How to Become a Firefighter in Oregon

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 Oregon 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 Oregon.

Is Being a Firefighter in Oregon Worth It?

Pay is only part of the picture. Firefighters in Oregon 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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