Wildland Firefighter in Colorado: Pay Plan

$52,668 – $168,996

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$74,170

median pay in CO, all employers

6,510

workers in CO (SOC 33-2011)

Sources: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Colorado sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and grade	Published rate
Firefighter Trainee Class A5A1TX · class description Grade A08	$4,389.00 – $6,146.00 a month $52,668 – $73,752 a year 31 steps Minimum: $4,389.00 a month Year 1: $4,389.00 a month Year 2: $4,389.00 a month Year 3: $4,608.00 a month Year 4: $4,608.00 a month Year 5: $4,839.00 a month Year 6: $4,839.00 a month Year 7: $4,839.00 a month Year 8: $5,081.00 a month Year 9: $5,081.00 a month Year 10: $5,268.00 a month Year 11: $5,268.00 a month Year 12: $5,373.00 a month Year 13: $5,373.00 a month Year 14: $5,373.00 a month Year 15: $5,481.00 a month Year 16: $5,481.00 a month Year 17: $5,481.00 a month Year 18: $5,481.00 a month Year 19: $5,481.00 a month Year 20: $5,590.00 a month Year 21: $5,590.00 a month Year 22: $5,590.00 a month Year 23: $5,590.00 a month Year 24: $5,590.00 a month Year 25: $5,702.00 a month Year 26: $5,702.00 a month Year 27: $5,702.00 a month Year 28: $5,702.00 a month Year 29: $5,702.00 a month Year 30: $5,702.00 a month
Firefighter I Class A5A1XX · class description Grade A10	$4,839.00 – $6,775.00 a month $58,068 – $81,300 a year 31 steps Minimum: $4,839.00 a month Year 1: $4,839.00 a month Year 2: $4,839.00 a month Year 3: $5,081.00 a month Year 4: $5,081.00 a month Year 5: $5,335.00 a month Year 6: $5,335.00 a month Year 7: $5,335.00 a month Year 8: $5,602.00 a month Year 9: $5,602.00 a month Year 10: $5,806.00 a month Year 11: $5,806.00 a month Year 12: $5,922.00 a month Year 13: $5,922.00 a month Year 14: $5,922.00 a month Year 15: $6,041.00 a month Year 16: $6,041.00 a month Year 17: $6,041.00 a month Year 18: $6,041.00 a month Year 19: $6,041.00 a month Year 20: $6,161.00 a month Year 21: $6,161.00 a month Year 22: $6,161.00 a month Year 23: $6,161.00 a month Year 24: $6,161.00 a month Year 25: $6,285.00 a month Year 26: $6,285.00 a month Year 27: $6,285.00 a month Year 28: $6,285.00 a month Year 29: $6,285.00 a month Year 30: $6,285.00 a month
Firefighter II Class A5A2XX · class description Grade A12	$5,336.00 – $7,469.00 a month $64,032 – $89,628 a year 31 steps Minimum: $5,336.00 a month Year 1: $5,336.00 a month Year 2: $5,336.00 a month Year 3: $5,603.00 a month Year 4: $5,603.00 a month Year 5: $5,883.00 a month Year 6: $5,883.00 a month Year 7: $5,883.00 a month Year 8: $6,177.00 a month Year 9: $6,177.00 a month Year 10: $6,402.00 a month Year 11: $6,402.00 a month Year 12: $6,530.00 a month Year 13: $6,530.00 a month Year 14: $6,530.00 a month Year 15: $6,661.00 a month Year 16: $6,661.00 a month Year 17: $6,661.00 a month Year 18: $6,661.00 a month Year 19: $6,661.00 a month Year 20: $6,794.00 a month Year 21: $6,794.00 a month Year 22: $6,794.00 a month Year 23: $6,794.00 a month Year 24: $6,794.00 a month Year 25: $6,930.00 a month Year 26: $6,930.00 a month Year 27: $6,930.00 a month Year 28: $6,930.00 a month Year 29: $6,930.00 a month Year 30: $6,930.00 a month
Firefighter III Class A5A3XX · class description Grade A14	$5,882.00 – $8,235.00 a month $70,584 – $98,820 a year 31 steps Minimum: $5,882.00 a month Year 1: $5,882.00 a month Year 2: $5,882.00 a month Year 3: $6,176.00 a month Year 4: $6,176.00 a month Year 5: $6,485.00 a month Year 6: $6,485.00 a month Year 7: $6,485.00 a month Year 8: $6,809.00 a month Year 9: $6,809.00 a month Year 10: $7,060.00 a month Year 11: $7,060.00 a month Year 12: $7,201.00 a month Year 13: $7,201.00 a month Year 14: $7,201.00 a month Year 15: $7,345.00 a month Year 16: $7,345.00 a month Year 17: $7,345.00 a month Year 18: $7,345.00 a month Year 19: $7,345.00 a month Year 20: $7,492.00 a month Year 21: $7,492.00 a month Year 22: $7,492.00 a month Year 23: $7,492.00 a month Year 24: $7,492.00 a month Year 25: $7,642.00 a month Year 26: $7,642.00 a month Year 27: $7,642.00 a month Year 28: $7,642.00 a month Year 29: $7,642.00 a month Year 30: $7,642.00 a month
Firefighter IV Class A5A4XX · class description Grade A16	$6,484.00 – $9,080.00 a month $77,808 – $108,960 a year 31 steps Minimum: $6,484.00 a month Year 1: $6,484.00 a month Year 2: $6,484.00 a month Year 3: $6,808.00 a month Year 4: $6,808.00 a month Year 5: $7,149.00 a month Year 6: $7,149.00 a month Year 7: $7,149.00 a month Year 8: $7,506.00 a month Year 9: $7,506.00 a month Year 10: $7,782.00 a month Year 11: $7,782.00 a month Year 12: $7,938.00 a month Year 13: $7,938.00 a month Year 14: $7,938.00 a month Year 15: $8,096.00 a month Year 16: $8,096.00 a month Year 17: $8,096.00 a month Year 18: $8,096.00 a month Year 19: $8,096.00 a month Year 20: $8,258.00 a month Year 21: $8,258.00 a month Year 22: $8,258.00 a month Year 23: $8,258.00 a month Year 24: $8,258.00 a month Year 25: $8,423.00 a month Year 26: $8,423.00 a month Year 27: $8,423.00 a month Year 28: $8,423.00 a month Year 29: $8,423.00 a month Year 30: $8,423.00 a month
Firefighter V Class A5A5XX · class description Grade A18	$7,149.00 – $10,009.00 a month $85,788 – $120,108 a year 31 steps Minimum: $7,149.00 a month Year 1: $7,149.00 a month Year 2: $7,149.00 a month Year 3: $7,506.00 a month Year 4: $7,506.00 a month Year 5: $7,882.00 a month Year 6: $7,882.00 a month Year 7: $7,882.00 a month Year 8: $8,276.00 a month Year 9: $8,276.00 a month Year 10: $8,580.00 a month Year 11: $8,580.00 a month Year 12: $8,752.00 a month Year 13: $8,752.00 a month Year 14: $8,752.00 a month Year 15: $8,927.00 a month Year 16: $8,927.00 a month Year 17: $8,927.00 a month Year 18: $8,927.00 a month Year 19: $8,927.00 a month Year 20: $9,105.00 a month Year 21: $9,105.00 a month Year 22: $9,105.00 a month Year 23: $9,105.00 a month Year 24: $9,105.00 a month Year 25: $9,287.00 a month Year 26: $9,287.00 a month Year 27: $9,287.00 a month Year 28: $9,287.00 a month Year 29: $9,287.00 a month Year 30: $9,287.00 a month
Firefighter VI Class A5A6XX · class description Grade A20	$7,881.00 – $11,035.00 a month $94,572 – $132,420 a year 31 steps Minimum: $7,881.00 a month Year 1: $7,881.00 a month Year 2: $7,881.00 a month Year 3: $8,275.00 a month Year 4: $8,275.00 a month Year 5: $8,689.00 a month Year 6: $8,689.00 a month Year 7: $8,689.00 a month Year 8: $9,123.00 a month Year 9: $9,123.00 a month Year 10: $9,459.00 a month Year 11: $9,459.00 a month Year 12: $9,648.00 a month Year 13: $9,648.00 a month Year 14: $9,648.00 a month Year 15: $9,841.00 a month Year 16: $9,841.00 a month Year 17: $9,841.00 a month Year 18: $9,841.00 a month Year 19: $9,841.00 a month Year 20: $10,038.00 a month Year 21: $10,038.00 a month Year 22: $10,038.00 a month Year 23: $10,038.00 a month Year 24: $10,038.00 a month Year 25: $10,239.00 a month Year 26: $10,239.00 a month Year 27: $10,239.00 a month Year 28: $10,239.00 a month Year 29: $10,239.00 a month Year 30: $10,239.00 a month
Firefighter VII Class A5A7XX · class description Grade A22	$8,690.00 – $12,166.00 a month $104,280 – $145,992 a year 31 steps Minimum: $8,690.00 a month Year 1: $8,690.00 a month Year 2: $8,690.00 a month Year 3: $9,125.00 a month Year 4: $9,125.00 a month Year 5: $9,581.00 a month Year 6: $9,581.00 a month Year 7: $9,581.00 a month Year 8: $10,060.00 a month Year 9: $10,060.00 a month Year 10: $10,429.00 a month Year 11: $10,429.00 a month Year 12: $10,638.00 a month Year 13: $10,638.00 a month Year 14: $10,638.00 a month Year 15: $10,850.00 a month Year 16: $10,850.00 a month Year 17: $10,850.00 a month Year 18: $10,850.00 a month Year 19: $10,850.00 a month Year 20: $11,067.00 a month Year 21: $11,067.00 a month Year 22: $11,067.00 a month Year 23: $11,067.00 a month Year 24: $11,067.00 a month Year 25: $11,289.00 a month Year 26: $11,289.00 a month Year 27: $11,289.00 a month Year 28: $11,289.00 a month Year 29: $11,289.00 a month Year 30: $11,289.00 a month
Firefighter VIII Class A5A8XX · class description Grade A25	$10,060.00 – $14,083.00 a month $120,720 – $168,996 a year 31 steps Minimum: $10,060.00 a month Year 1: $10,060.00 a month Year 2: $10,060.00 a month Year 3: $10,563.00 a month Year 4: $10,563.00 a month Year 5: $11,091.00 a month Year 6: $11,091.00 a month Year 7: $11,091.00 a month Year 8: $11,646.00 a month Year 9: $11,646.00 a month Year 10: $12,073.00 a month Year 11: $12,073.00 a month Year 12: $12,314.00 a month Year 13: $12,314.00 a month Year 14: $12,314.00 a month Year 15: $12,561.00 a month Year 16: $12,561.00 a month Year 17: $12,561.00 a month Year 18: $12,561.00 a month Year 19: $12,561.00 a month Year 20: $12,812.00 a month Year 21: $12,812.00 a month Year 22: $12,812.00 a month Year 23: $12,812.00 a month Year 24: $12,812.00 a month Year 25: $13,068.00 a month Year 26: $13,068.00 a month Year 27: $13,068.00 a month Year 28: $13,068.00 a month Year 29: $13,068.00 a month Year 30: $13,068.00 a month

Schedule: State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

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

Measure	CO
Workers	6,510
10th percentile	$47,000
Median	$74,170
90th percentile	$114,170
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.

Free practice tests for Colorado

NFPA 1140 Wildland Firefighter I Certification Exam
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
NFPA 1140 Wildland Firefighter II Certification Exam
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
NWCG Firefighter Type 1 / Type 2 (FFT1/FFT2) Certification
Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep

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 Wildland Firefighter page.

Wildland Firefighter in other states

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