Firefighters pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,720 a year or less, while the top 10% make $96,530 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Columbus earn between $46,240 and $96,530.
- $36K10th
- $46K25th
- $62KMedian
- $97K75th
- $97K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,630 | $5,636 | $32.51 |
| Median | $61,780 | $5,148 | $29.70 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $46,240 | $3,853 | $22.23 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $96,530 | $8,044 | $46.41 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Firefighters salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $67,630, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $53,299 a year, or $4,442 a month and $2,050 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 (2026 rules). Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Is Columbus a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $67,630 buys what about $70,840 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($51,340). A typical home costs $333,537, or 4.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other Ohio cities
Columbus ranks 1st of 11 Ohio metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Columbus$67,630
- Cleveland$61,340
- Akron$61,000
- Toledo$60,470
- Cincinnati$57,510
- Dayton$54,880
- Lima$52,170
- Sandusky$49,620
- Mansfield$48,890
- Youngstown$44,160
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?
$32.51 an hour on average, and $29.70 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,720 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,240, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Columbus?
About $53,299 a year ($4,442 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,630. Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Do firefighters earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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, OH (18140). 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 (2026 rules). Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.68, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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