How much do firefighters make in San Diego? The average firefighter salary in the San Diego metro area is $74,540 a year (median $70,900), which is above the national average of $63,630 and below the California average of $95,090. Entry level firefighters earn around $56,830, and the most experienced earn up to $99,130. The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey covering May 2025, the most recent available.
Firefighter Salary in San Diego: The Numbers
| Metric | San Diego metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average (mean) | $74,540 | $95,090 | $63,630 |
| Median | $70,900 | n/a | $59,280 |
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $56,830 | n/a | $34,910 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $99,130 | n/a | $101,040 |
| Firefighters employed in metro | 2,880 | n/a | n/a |
The metro area figure covers the whole San Diego 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 midcareer firefighter takes home in base pay.
Who Hires Firefighters in San Diego
San Diego Fire Rescue, CAL FIRE's San Diego unit, and the county's contract fire authority employ most of the region's firefighters, along with Chula Vista, Oceanside, and Escondido.
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 San Diego, 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. San Diego housing is among the most expensive in the country, and the salary, while high nationally, feels average locally.
How to Get Hired in San Diego
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.