As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Fire Captain in the United States is $85,334. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $75,024 to $93,304, with most professionals earning between $65,637 and $100,560.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $93,304 | $7,775 | $1,794 | $45 |
| Average | $85,334 | $7,111 | $1,641 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $75,024 | $6,252 | $1,443 | $36 |
An entry-level Fire Captain with less than 1 year of experience earns about $81,949. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $82,718. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $83,795. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $85,572, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $87,951.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Fire Captain | $81,949 |
| Intermediate Level Fire Captain | $82,718 |
| Senior Level Fire Captain | $83,795 |
| Specialist Level Fire Captain | $85,572 |
| Expert Level Fire Captain | $87,951 |
| Entry Level | 4% |
| Mid Level | 3% |
| Senior Level | 2% |
| Top Level | 0% |
| Experienced | 3% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Fire Captain compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $87,873 in 2023 to approximately $87,967 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Fire Captain salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Fire Captain information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Fire Captain job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Fire Captain and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $85,334 | 72.2% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $6,528 | 5.5% | ||
| 401K/403B | $4,181 | 3.5% | ||
| Disability | $1,365 | 1.2% | ||
| Healthcare | $6,371 | 5.4% | ||
| Pension | $3,584 | 3.0% | ||
| Time Off | $10,831 | 9.2% | ||
| Total Compensation | $118,194 | 100% | ||
The average annual salary of Fire Captain is $85,334. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Fire Captain is $41; the average weekly pay of Fire Captain is $1,641; the average monthly pay of Fire Captain is $7,111.
A Fire Captain's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Fire Captain earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Fire Captain is $107,632.
The highest pay for Fire Captain is $100,560.
The lowest pay for Fire Captain is $65,637.
Manages a team of firefighters. Ensures all equipment is properly maintained and serviced. Directs training and conditioning activities. Administers the staff work schedule to ensure adequate coverage. Leads and coordinates responses to fire events, hazardous material incidents, auto accidents, and search and rescue operations. Prepares post-incident reports as required. Leads or coordinates fire safety education and inspection activities. Typically is required to pass periodic physical ability tests. May require registry in NREMT. Typically requires an associate degree in fire science. Requires Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - Basic. Typically reports to a manager. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 - 3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Planning: An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Fire Safety: Planning and implementing safety practices, policies, and procedures to significantly reduce the extent of damage that a fire can cause.
Background Check: A background check or background investigation is a review of a potential employee's criminal, commercial and financial records. The goal of background checks is to ensure the safety and security of the employees in the organisation
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
