How much does a firefighter make in Chicago?

$82,820a year

Median yearly pay for firefighters in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. That is $39.82 an hour or $6,902 a month.

Hourly: $39.82
Vs. national median: +40%
Rank among cities: 19 of 347
Jobs in the area: 14,560

Pay range

Lowest 10%: $42,080Median: $82,820Highest 10%: $112,900

Percentile	Yearly	Hourly
10th	$42,080	$20.23
25th	$48,610	$23.37
Median	$82,820	$39.82
75th	$105,700	$50.83
90th	$112,900	$54.29

Other cities in Illinois

Median yearly pay for firefighters.

Rockford, IL	$77,150
Peoria, IL	$73,670
Bloomington, IL	$69,270
St. Louis, MO	$68,970
Springfield, IL	$65,330
Decatur, IL	$62,430
Champaign, IL	$62,190
Davenport, IA	$60,080
Kankakee, IL	$59,850

Firefighter salary in Illinois Firefighter salary in all states

Related jobs in Chicago

Same field, median yearly pay.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detective	$135,100
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Worker	$126,200
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer	$107,800
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officer	$105,500
Detective and Criminal Investigator	$102,300
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Worker	$90,920
Correctional Officer and Jailer	$84,550
Transportation Security Screener	$70,570
Private Detective and Investigator	$68,310
Fire Inspector and Investigator	$62,400

Salaries for every job in Chicago, IL

Frequently asked questions

How much does a firefighter make an hour in Chicago?

The median hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $39.82 ($82,820 a year).

Do firefighters make more in Chicago than the national average?

Yes: $82,820 against $59,280 nationally, 40% more.

How does Chicago compare with the rest of Illinois?

The median in Illinois is $78,380, so Chicago pays 6% more.

Where does Chicago rank for firefighter pay?

19 of 347 metro areas with data.

How much does a firefighter make starting out in Chicago?

The lowest-paid 10% make $42,080 or less a year; the top 10% make $112,900 or more.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.