Firefighters pay range in Detroit
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $84,390 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Detroit earn between $50,800 and $73,430.
- $41K10th
- $51K25th
- $63KMedian
- $73K75th
- $84K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,940 | $5,162 | $29.78 |
| Median | $62,730 | $5,228 | $30.16 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,800 | $4,233 | $24.42 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,430 | $6,119 | $35.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Firefighters salary after taxes in Detroit
On the average salary of $61,940, a single filer in Detroit takes home about $48,215 a year, or $4,018 a month and $1,854 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Is Detroit a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Detroit area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.3), so the average $61,940 buys what about $61,756 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Detroit ($52,080). A typical home costs $269,080, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other Michigan cities
Detroit ranks 1st of 14 Michigan metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Detroit$61,940
- Battle Creek$57,740
- Grand Rapids$56,340
- Niles$56,040
- Lansing$55,310
- Midland$54,610
- Jackson$51,100
- Saginaw$50,070
- Ann Arbor$49,770
- Traverse City$49,320
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 Detroit: questions
How much do firefighters make an hour in Detroit?
$29.78 an hour on average, and $30.16 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Detroit?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Detroit?
About $48,215 a year ($4,018 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,940. Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Do firefighters earn more in Detroit than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (19820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.83, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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