Firefighters pay range in Salem
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,980 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Salem earn between $52,920 and $72,640.
- $45K10th
- $53K25th
- $65KMedian
- $73K75th
- $96K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,990 | $5,416 | $31.25 |
| Median | $64,900 | $5,408 | $31.20 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $52,920 | $4,410 | $25.44 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $72,640 | $6,053 | $34.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Firefighters pay in Salem vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Firefighters in Salem earn 9% less than the Oregon average ($71,290) and about the same as the U.S. average ($63,630). At the median the gap is +9% against the U.S. median of $59,280.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | $64,990 | $64,900 | $45,040 | $95,980 | 330 |
| Oregon | $71,290 | $70,900 | $38,800 | $104,070 | 3,790 |
| 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 Salem
On the average salary of $64,990, a single filer in Salem takes home about $49,762 a year, or $4,147 a month and $1,914 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Salem a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salem area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $64,990 buys what about $62,702 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Salem ($55,310). A typical home costs $454,689, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other Oregon cities
Salem ranks 5th of 8 Oregon metro areas for this job; Portland pays the most ($87,380).
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 Salem: questions
How much do firefighters make an hour in Salem?
$31.25 an hour on average, and $31.20 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Salem?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,920, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Salem?
About $49,762 a year ($4,147 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,990. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do firefighters earn more in Salem than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Salem, OR (41420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.9%.
- 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 (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.78, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.78).
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