How much do firefighters make in Miami? The average firefighter salary in the Miami metro area is $76,350 a year (median $75,710), which is above the national average of $63,630 and above the Florida average of $61,370. Entry-level firefighters earn around $48,530, and the most experienced earn up to $116,390. The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey covering May 2025, the most recent available.
Firefighter Salary in Miami: The Numbers
| Metric | Miami metro | Florida | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average (mean) | $76,350 | $61,370 | $63,630 |
| Median | $75,710 | — | $59,280 |
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $48,530 | — | $34,910 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $116,390 | — | $101,040 |
| Firefighters employed in metro | 6,600 | — | — |
The metro area figure covers the whole Miami 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 Miami
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is one of the largest county departments in the country, and Broward and Palm Beach county fire rescue, plus the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Hialeah, all hire regularly. Nearly every position requires paramedic certification.
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 Miami, 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. South Florida is expensive, especially housing and insurance, but there is no state income tax and paramedic incentive pay is substantial.
How to Get Hired in Miami
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 Florida, check the full Florida salary breakdown, and use the eligibility checker before you apply.
