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Job title · California

Firefighter in California

California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) lists 1 job class for this work in the California state pay plan: Fire Fighter.

$58,092 – $77,448
state pay plan range, a year
1
classes in the state plan
$85,120
median pay in CA, all employers
31,470
workers in CA (SOC 33-2011)

Sources: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

California state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 14, 2026. These are the ranges California sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and gradePublished rate
Fire Fighter
Class 8979
Grade 8979
$4,841.00 – $6,454.00 a month
$58,092 – $77,448 a year

Schedule: Civil Service Pay Scale (Section 17, by schematic code). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in California, all employers Sourced

Firefighters (SOC 33-2011) in California, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

MeasureCA
Workers31,470
10th percentile$52,390
Median$85,120
90th percentile$136,150
National median, government employers$60,050

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Employers in California

581 fire departments in California, largest CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection- HQ, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles Fire Department.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA), National Fire Department Registry. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Free practice tests for California

Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Firefighter page.

Firefighter in other states

ConnecticutGeorgiaMassachusettsOhioOregonTennesseeUtah