Firefighters pay range in Buffalo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,120 a year or less, while the top 10% make $80,920 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Buffalo earn between $59,300 and $80,920.
- $48K10th
- $59K25th
- $74KMedian
- $81K75th
- $81K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $68,280 | $5,690 | $32.83 |
| Median | $74,470 | $6,206 | $35.80 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,300 | $4,942 | $28.51 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $80,920 | $6,743 | $38.90 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Firefighters salary after taxes in Buffalo
On the average salary of $68,280, a single filer in Buffalo takes home about $53,715 a year, or $4,476 a month and $2,066 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Buffalo a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Buffalo area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.8), so the average $68,280 buys what about $71,241 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Buffalo ($50,790). A typical home costs $288,316, or 4.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other New York cities
Buffalo ranks 6th of 9 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($92,410).
- New York$92,410
- Rochester$82,520
- Kiryas Joel$72,360
- Binghamton$69,960
- Utica$69,180
- Buffalo$68,280
- Albany$65,930
- Syracuse$63,910
- Watertown$61,400
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 Buffalo: questions
How much do firefighters make an hour in Buffalo?
$32.83 an hour on average, and $35.80 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Buffalo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,120 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Buffalo?
About $53,715 a year ($4,476 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $68,280. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do firefighters earn more in Buffalo than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% more 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (15380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
- 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). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.69, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.69).
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