Pasadena firefighter salary, 2025
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County. 93 people worked as firefighters for Pasadena in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $204,800, overtime included.
What is the average firefighter salary at Pasadena?
Official pay range1
$76,071 to $138,440
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest firefighter title
Based on the 79 of 93 firefighters who worked the full year.
Most of Pasadena's firefighters (53 of 93) hold the title Firefighter-Pm, with an official range of $92,670 to $138,440. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $222,240, $83,800 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $208,873
- the middle firefighter: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $81,267
- average per full-year firefighter
- Starting salary
- $76,071
- bottom of the Firefighter (56 Hour) range
- Average pay rank
- 41st
- of 202 California employers
What does each firefighter title at Pasadena 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 (56 Hour)$184,911
- Firefighter (40 Hour)Fewer than 5
- Firefighter 40-PmFewer than 5
- Firefighter-Pm$222,240
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Fire engineer, captain and battalion chief pay at Pasadena
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 | 93 | $76,071 to $138,440 | $204,800 |
| Engineers | 30 | $126,621 to $154,299 | $242,721 |
| Captains | 34 | $146,584 to $178,967 | $272,918 |
| Battalion Chiefs | 6 | $198,546 to $220,607 | $335,702 |
Full-year captains averaged $272,918, $68,118 more than firefighters.
Does Pasadena pay firefighters more than other employers in Los Angeles County?
Average total pay of full-year firefighters: Pasadena next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Pasadena$204,800
- All employers in Los Angeles County$206,861
- All employers in California$186,123
Full-year firefighters at Pasadena earned $2,061 less than the Los Angeles County average and $18,677 more than the California average.
Average firefighter pay in Los Angeles County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year firefighters across all employers in each county that borders Los Angeles County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Orange County$185,827 average, 11 employers$21,034 less than Los Angeles County
- San Bernardino County$185,219 average, 12 employers$21,642 less than Los Angeles County
- Ventura County$183,417 average, 3 employers$23,444 less than Los Angeles County
- Kern County$119,528 average, 3 employers$87,333 less than Los Angeles County
Where does Pasadena rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year firefighters, by average total pay.1
All 202 California employers
Pasadena ranks 41st of 202, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $169,232
The 27 employers in Los Angeles County
Pasadena ranks 10th of 27, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $196,678
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 Pasadena
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 Pasadena's firefighters
- Employer pension contribution
- $26,559
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $22,336
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about firefighter pay at Pasadena
What is the average firefighter salary at Pasadena?
Firefighters at Pasadena who worked the full year earned an average of $204,800 in 2025, overtime included. The middle firefighter earned $208,873: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its firefighter titles runs from $76,071 to $138,440.
How much overtime do firefighters at Pasadena earn?
Full-year firefighters were paid an average of $81,267 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $81,087: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a firefighter at Pasadena?
$76,071 a year: the bottom of the official range for Pasadena's Firefighter (56 Hour) title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year firefighters averaged $204,800 in total pay.
How much does a fire captain make at Pasadena?
Full-year captains at Pasadena averaged $272,918 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $146,584 to $178,967.
What pension do firefighters at Pasadena get?
The most common pension formula among Pasadena's firefighters is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $26,559 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Los Angeles County
- Burbank$211,387 average total pay
- Torrance$204,906 average total pay
- Santa Fe Springs$201,467 average total pay
- Glendale$200,189 average total pay
- Downey$197,090 average total pay
- Monterey Park$196,678 average total pay
- Highest firefighter salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Police officer salaries at Pasadena$198,809 average total pay
- 911 dispatcher salaries at Pasadena$121,859 average total pay
- Water operator salaries at Pasadena$163,409 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at Pasadena$96,800 average total pay
- Teacher salaries in Los Angeles CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Pasadena figures
Every person who held a firefighter position at Pasadena 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 Pasadena.