California fire engineer salaries by department, 2025
Engineers here are titles such as Fire Engineer, Apparatus Operator, Engineer of Fire Department and Firefighter Specialist, as each department names the rank. 6,761 people held a fire engineer title at 286 California city, county and district fire departments in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $216,584, overtime included, against $186,123 for firefighters.
What is the average fire engineer salary in California?
Lowest-paying department
$92,078
Imperial County
County government
Highest- and lowest-paying among the 128 departments with at least 10 full-year engineers. The lists below include every department with at least 5.
- Fire engineers
- 6,761
- 5,781 of them worked the full year
- Median total pay
- $213,563
- the middle engineer: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $68,675
- average per full-year engineer; the middle one $61,150
- Official range
- $107,922
- to $130,489: the middle reported bottom and top
Which California fire departments pay engineers the most?
By average total pay of full-year fire engineers, among departments with at least 5 of them.
Highest average total pay
- Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
15 full-year engineers$318,936 - Culver CityCity in Los Angeles County
11 full-year engineers$306,150 - Santa MonicaCity in Los Angeles County
24 full-year engineers$298,241 - Santa ClaraCity government
30 full-year engineers$288,232 - MilpitasCity in Santa Clara County
15 full-year engineers$287,655 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
51 full-year engineers$284,164 - Manhattan BeachCity in Los Angeles County
6 full-year engineers$283,498 - Menlo Park Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in San Mateo County
66 full-year engineers$278,898 - San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionFire protection district in Contra Costa County
32 full-year engineers$278,818 - HaywardCity in Alameda County
35 full-year engineers$275,461
California average for engineers, $216,584
Which California counties pay fire engineers the most?
Average total pay of full-year engineers across each county's city, county and district fire departments, where at least 5 of them worked the full year. The dashed line marks the California average of $216,584.
Compare fire engineer pay at every California department
Every department with at least 5 fire engineers: what full-year engineers earned and the official range for the rank. Click a column to sort it.
Showing 1 to 25 of 209 departments, highest average total pay first.
| Mountain ViewSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $318,936 | $106,433 | $170,336 to $206,378 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culver CityLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $306,150 | $93,957 | $135,440 | 11 |
| Santa MonicaLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $298,241 | $103,125 | $119,580 to $147,636 | 26 |
| Santa ClaraSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $288,232 | $28,570 | $153,015 to $195,481 | 38 |
| MilpitasSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $287,655 | $83,400 | $157,172 to $191,044 | 18 |
| OaklandAlameda County | Alameda | $284,164 | $106,870 | $158,392 | 77 |
| Manhattan BeachLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $283,498 | $88,298 | $140,868 to $155,472 | 6 |
| Menlo Park Fire Protection DistrictSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $278,898 | $76,043 | $140,901 to $171,266 | 66 |
| San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionContra Costa County | Contra Costa | $278,818 | $74,904 | $156,182 to $187,891 | 33 |
| HaywardAlameda County | Alameda | $275,461 | $73,247 | $149,531 to $181,796 | 37 |
| TorranceLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $273,889 | $81,576 | $128,827 to $142,018 | 27 |
| Beverly HillsLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $271,119 | $80,991 | $140,958 to $157,116 | 18 |
| FairfieldSolano County | Solano | $267,348 | $73,757 | $114,397 to $139,050 | 23 |
| OntarioSan Bernardino County | San Bernardino | $266,649 | $86,767 | $115,917 to $140,832 | 55 |
| BreaOrange County | Orange | $266,070 | $122,060 | $103,583 to $132,612 | 9 |
| RichmondContra Costa County | Contra Costa | $264,337 | $89,319 | $139,840 to $154,225 | 22 |
| Moraga/Orinda Fire Protection DistrictContra Costa County | Contra Costa | $263,970 | $86,523 | $137,292 to $166,836 | 14 |
| Alameda CountyAlameda County | Alameda | $263,125 | $82,839 | $123,236 to $149,881 | 95 |
| Chino Valley Independent Fire DistrictSan Bernardino County | San Bernardino | $263,043 | $85,435 | $129,019 to $156,826 | 25 |
| AlbanyAlameda County | Alameda | $259,004 | $69,544 | $112,128 to $150,288 | 6 |
| Palo AltoSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $254,422 | $63,467 | $139,368 to $180,107 | 11 |
| VacavilleSolano County | Solano | $253,380 | $77,639 | $127,987 to $155,570 | 18 |
| Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $251,300 | $101,294 | $107,922 to $130,489 | 813 |
| MurrietaRiverside County | Riverside | $250,881 | $97,106 | $112,330 to $136,538 | 15 |
| Central Marin Fire AuthorityMarin County | Marin | $250,189 | $89,882 | $121,368 to $147,528 | 9 |
No department matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 engineers worked the full year, too few for an average. Departments with fewer than 5 engineers aren't listed. Los Angeles's ranges come from the City's own salary schedules from June 29, 2025: it reported none to the State Controller for these ranks.
How much more do fire engineers earn than firefighters in California?
Average total pay of full-year staff at every California city, county and district fire department, overtime included.
- Firefighters$186,123
- Engineers$216,584
- Lieutenants$238,584
- Captains$261,904
- Battalion Chiefs$312,313
Engineers earn $30,461 more than firefighters on average. Lieutenants average $238,584, captains average $261,904 and battalion chiefs average $312,313.
Questions about fire engineer pay in California
How much does a fire engineer make in California?
Full-year California fire engineers at city, county and district fire departments earned an average of $216,584 in 2025, including $68,675 in overtime. The middle engineer earned $213,563. Firefighters averaged $186,123.
Which California fire department pays engineers the most?
Among departments with at least 10 full-year engineers, Mountain View has the highest average total pay, $318,936, followed by Culver City ($306,150) and Santa Monica ($298,241).
Which California county pays fire engineers the most?
Alameda County, where full-year engineers at its city, county and district fire departments averaged $262,474, followed by San Mateo County ($259,100) and Los Angeles County ($248,752).
What is the official pay range for a fire engineer in California?
Across California's departments, the middle reported range for engineers runs from $107,922 to $130,489 a year. Each department's own range is in the table on this page.
Sources for the California fire engineer figures
Every person who held a fire engineer title at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages and pension and health contributions as reported by each city, county and special district.