Monterey firefighter salary, 2025
Monterey is a city in Monterey County. 36 people worked as firefighters for Monterey in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $168,908, overtime included.
What is the average firefighter salary at Monterey?
Official pay range1
$99,240 to $120,672
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest firefighter title
Based on the 28 of 36 firefighters who worked the full year.
Most of Monterey's firefighters (36 of 36) hold the title Firefighter, with an official range of $99,240 to $120,672. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $168,908, $48,236 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $163,006
- the middle firefighter: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $40,762
- average per full-year firefighter
- Starting salary
- $99,240
- bottom of the Firefighter range
- Average pay rank
- 102nd
- of 202 California employers
What does each firefighter title at Monterey pay?
Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1
- Firefighter$168,908
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Fire engineer and captain pay at Monterey
Ranks above firefighter, kept out of the firefighter figures on this page. Each rank's name leads to its statewide overview. Range: the middle reported bottom and top of each rank's official range. Pay: average total pay of full-year staff, overtime included.1
| Rank | People | Official range | Average total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighters | 36 | $99,240 to $120,672 | $168,908 |
| Engineers | 24 | $109,440 to $133,056 | $185,281 |
| Captains | 21 | $126,744 to $153,960 | $240,870 |
Full-year captains averaged $240,870, $71,962 more than firefighters.
Does Monterey pay firefighters more than other employers in Monterey County?
Average total pay of full-year firefighters: Monterey next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Monterey$168,908
- All employers in Monterey County$135,621
- All employers in California$186,123
Full-year firefighters at Monterey earned $33,287 more than the Monterey County average and $17,215 less than the California average.
Average firefighter pay in Monterey County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year firefighters across all employers in each county that borders Monterey County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Santa Cruz County$184,502 average, 3 employers$48,881 more than Monterey County
- San Benito County$160,778 average, 1 employer$25,157 more than Monterey County
- San Luis Obispo County$140,806 average, 3 employers$5,185 more than Monterey County
- Fresno County$130,512 average, 5 employers$5,109 less than Monterey County
- Kings County$112,802 average, 2 employers$22,819 less than Monterey County
Where does Monterey rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year firefighters, by average total pay.1
All 202 California employers
Monterey ranks 102nd of 202, below the middle employer.
Middle employer: $169,232
The 5 employers in Monterey County
Monterey ranks 1st of 5, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $127,305
Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.
Pension and health cover at Monterey
As reported by the city. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year firefighter, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 2.7% at 57
- the most common formula among Monterey's firefighters
- Employer pension contribution
- $20,217
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $23,669
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about firefighter pay at Monterey
What is the average firefighter salary at Monterey?
Firefighters at Monterey who worked the full year earned an average of $168,908 in 2025, overtime included. The middle firefighter earned $163,006: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its firefighter titles runs from $99,240 to $120,672.
How much overtime do firefighters at Monterey earn?
Full-year firefighters were paid an average of $40,762 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $24,666: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a firefighter at Monterey?
$99,240 a year: the bottom of the official range for Monterey's Firefighter title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year firefighters averaged $168,908 in total pay.
How much does a fire captain make at Monterey?
Full-year captains at Monterey averaged $240,870 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $126,744 to $153,960.
What pension do firefighters at Monterey get?
The most common pension formula among Monterey's firefighters is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $20,217 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Monterey County
- Seaside$141,999 average total pay
- Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District$127,305 average total pay
- Marina$121,692 average total pay
- Salinas$120,213 average total pay
- North County Fire Protection District (Monterey)firefighter pay
- Highest firefighter salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Police officer salaries at Monterey$180,544 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at MontereyPay by title
- Teacher salaries in Monterey CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Monterey figures
Every person who held a firefighter position at Monterey 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. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Monterey.