Firefighters pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,100 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,740 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Portland earn between $43,700 and $59,020.
- $37K10th
- $44K25th
- $49KMedian
- $59K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $51,240 | $4,270 | $24.63 |
| Median | $49,320 | $4,110 | $23.71 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,700 | $3,642 | $21.01 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $59,020 | $4,918 | $28.38 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Firefighters salary after taxes in Portland
On the average salary of $51,240, a single filer in Portland takes home about $41,570 a year, or $3,464 a month and $1,599 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Is Portland a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.9), so the average $51,240 buys what about $50,305 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($56,960). A typical home costs $542,063, or 10.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other Maine cities
Portland ranks 2nd of 3 Maine metro areas for this job; Lewiston pays the most ($55,230).
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 Portland: questions
How much do firefighters make an hour in Portland?
$24.63 an hour on average, and $23.71 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,100 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,700, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Portland?
About $41,570 a year ($3,464 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $51,240. Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Do firefighters earn more in Portland 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 Portland-South Portland, ME (38860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.09, this job is 2.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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