How much does a firefighter make in San Diego?
$70,900a year
Median yearly pay for firefighters in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area. That is $34.09 an hour or $5,908 a month.
- Hourly
- $34.09
- Vs. national median
- +20%
- Rank among cities
- 68 of 347
- Jobs in the area
- 2,880
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $56,830Median: $70,900Highest 10%: $99,130
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $56,830 | $27.32 | |
| 25th | $58,000 | $27.88 | |
| Median | $70,900 | $34.09 | |
| 75th | $84,230 | $40.50 | |
| 90th | $99,130 | $47.66 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for firefighters.
| San Jose, CA | $152,100 |
| San Francisco, CA | $113,700 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $98,050 |
| Vallejo, CA | $95,950 |
| Sacramento, CA | $94,080 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $87,400 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $82,250 |
| Salinas, CA | $81,070 |
| Yuba City, CA | $80,360 |
| Napa, CA | $80,260 |
| Stockton, CA | $79,540 |
| Fresno, CA | $79,160 |
| Riverside, CA | $79,160 |
| Oxnard, CA | $77,400 |
| Modesto, CA | $77,370 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $75,910 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $72,410 |
| Chico, CA | $71,830 |
| Redding, CA | $65,170 |
| Visalia, CA | $65,170 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $64,980 |
| Merced, CA | $63,940 |
| Hanford, CA | $55,220 |
| El Centro, CA | $46,080 |
Related jobs in San Diego
Same field, median yearly pay.
Salaries for every job in San Diego, CAFrequently asked questions
How much does a firefighter make an hour in San Diego?
The median hourly pay in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $34.09 ($70,900 a year).
Do firefighters make more in San Diego than the national average?
Yes: $70,900 against $59,280 nationally, 20% more.
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $85,120, so San Diego pays 17% less.
Where does San Diego rank for firefighter pay?
68 of 347 metro areas with data.
How much does a firefighter make starting out in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% make $56,830 or less a year; the top 10% make $99,130 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.