How much do firefighters make in Los Angeles? The average firefighter salary in the Los Angeles metro area is $108,860 a year (median $98,050), which is above the national average of $63,630 and above the California average of $95,090. Entry-level firefighters earn around $58,710, and the most experienced earn up to $150,760. The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey covering May 2025, the most recent available.
Firefighter Salary in Los Angeles: The Numbers
| Metric | Los Angeles metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average (mean) | $108,860 | $95,090 | $63,630 |
| Median | $98,050 | — | $59,280 |
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $58,710 | — | $34,910 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $150,760 | — | $101,040 |
| Firefighters employed in metro | 7,200 | — | — |
The metro area figure covers the whole Los Angeles region, not just the city department, so it blends big-city pay with the suburban and county departments around it. The median is usually the better guide to what a mid-career firefighter takes home in base pay.
Who Hires Firefighters in Los Angeles
Los Angeles City Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department are two of the largest and best-paying departments in the country, and the metro also includes Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, and dozens of contract cities served by LA County.
What Changes the Number
- Overtime. Most departments in the metro run 24-hour shifts, and overtime, holiday, and call-back pay commonly add 10 to 30 percent to base salary. None of that is in the BLS figure.
- Paramedic pay. Paramedic certification is the single biggest raise available to a firefighter in Los Angeles, typically $5,000 to $15,000 a year.
- Rank. Engineer, lieutenant, captain, and chief officer each bring a step up; chief officers at the largest departments in the metro earn well into six figures.
- Cost of living. Total compensation with overtime often clears $150,000, but Southern California housing costs absorb much of that, and many firefighters commute from the Inland Empire.
How to Get Hired in Los Angeles
The path is the same as anywhere: meet the age and education requirements, pass a written exam and the CPAT, clear a background and medical, and complete the academy. Most departments in the metro require or strongly prefer EMT certification. Start with how to become a firefighter in California, check the full California salary breakdown, and use the eligibility checker before you apply.
