Firefighters pay range in Missoula
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $82,270 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Missoula earn between $63,470 and $82,270.
- $45K10th
- $63K25th
- $77KMedian
- $82K75th
- $82K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $69,650 | $5,804 | $33.49 |
| Median | $76,620 | $6,385 | $36.84 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,470 | $5,289 | $30.51 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $82,270 | $6,856 | $39.55 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Firefighters pay in Missoula vs. Montana and the U.S.
Firefighters in Missoula earn 21% more than the Montana average ($57,660) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($63,630). At the median the gap is +29% against the U.S. median of $59,280.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula | $69,650 | $76,620 | $45,120 | $82,270 | 130 |
| Montana | $57,660 | $59,310 | $32,810 | $76,620 | 1,010 |
| United States | $63,630 | $59,280 | $34,910 | $101,040 | 345,990 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Firefighters salary after taxes in Missoula
On the average salary of $69,650, a single filer in Missoula takes home about $55,254 a year, or $4,605 a month and $2,125 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Missoula a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Missoula area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.4), so the average $69,650 buys what about $72,217 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Missoula ($47,830). A typical home costs $580,429, or 8.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other Montana cities
Missoula ranks 2nd of 5 Montana metro areas for this job; Bozeman pays the most ($76,280).
- Bozeman$76,280
- Missoula$69,650
- Billings$63,060
- Great Falls$60,860
- Helena$53,740
Highest-paying cities for firefighters
Bakersfield, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($199,490).
- Bakersfield, CA$199,490
- San Jose, CA$134,270
- San Francisco, CA$110,590
- Los Angeles, CA$108,860
- Seattle, WA$100,450
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Firefighters salary in Missoula: questions
How much do firefighters make an hour in Missoula?
$33.48 an hour on average, and $36.84 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Missoula?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,470, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Missoula?
About $55,254 a year ($4,605 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $69,650.
Do firefighters earn more in Missoula than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. average for this job ($63,630).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 33-2011; area Missoula, MT (33540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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