Firefighters pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $60,460 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Columbus earn between $48,770 and $54,960.
- $47K10th
- $49K25th
- $49KMedian
- $55K75th
- $60K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $51,480 | $4,290 | $24.75 |
| Median | $48,770 | $4,064 | $23.45 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,770 | $4,064 | $23.45 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $54,960 | $4,580 | $26.42 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Firefighters salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $51,480, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $41,724 a year, or $3,477 a month and $1,605 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Columbus, GA-AL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in GA | $41,724 | $3,477 |
| Working in AL | $41,410 | $3,451 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbus a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.3), so the average $51,480 buys what about $57,651 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($43,540). A typical home costs $209,527, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other Georgia cities
Columbus ranks 1st of 12 Georgia metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Columbus$51,480
- Savannah$50,520
- Atlanta$50,410
- Augusta$48,820
- Gainesville$46,360
- Hinesville$46,360
- Macon$44,900
- Dalton$44,590
- Albany$44,530
- Warner Robins$43,640
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 Columbus: questions
How much do firefighters make an hour in Columbus?
$24.75 an hour on average, and $23.45 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,770, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Columbus?
About $41,724 a year ($3,477 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $51,480.
Do firefighters earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($65,977).
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 Columbus, GA-AL (17980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- 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 2.04, this job is 2.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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