Firefighters pay range in Memphis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $70,460 or more. The middle half of firefighters in Memphis earn between $44,060 and $70,460.
- $36K10th
- $44K25th
- $63KMedian
- $70K75th
- $70K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $57,560 | $4,797 | $27.67 |
| Median | $62,910 | $5,242 | $30.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,060 | $3,672 | $21.18 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $70,460 | $5,872 | $33.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Firefighters salary after taxes in Memphis
On the average salary of $57,560, a single filer in Memphis takes home about $48,429 a year, or $4,036 a month and $1,863 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $48,429 | $4,036 |
| Working in MS | $46,859 | $3,905 |
| Working in AR | $46,787 | $3,899 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Memphis a good place for firefighters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Memphis area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $57,560 buys what about $62,444 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Memphis ($46,890). A typical home costs $247,229, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Firefighters salary in other Tennessee cities
Memphis ranks 1st of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Memphis$57,560
- Clarksville$53,290
- Nashville$53,290
- Knoxville$49,910
- Chattanooga$48,660
- Kingsport$43,600
- Johnson City$40,300
- Morristown$39,570
- Jackson$36,830
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 Memphis: questions
How much do firefighters make an hour in Memphis?
$27.67 an hour on average, and $30.24 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level firefighters salary in Memphis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the firefighters take-home pay in Memphis?
About $48,429 a year ($4,036 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,560. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do firefighters earn more in Memphis than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR (32820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.22, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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