South San Francisco firefighter salary, 2025
South San Francisco is a city in San Mateo County. 39 people worked as firefighters for South San Francisco in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $240,483, overtime included.
What is the average firefighter salary at South San Francisco?
Official pay range1
$97,718 to $118,789
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest firefighter title
Based on the 32 of 39 firefighters who worked the full year.
Most of South San Francisco's firefighters (39 of 39) hold the title Paramedic Firefighter, with an official range of $97,718 to $118,789. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $240,483, $121,694 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $234,140
- the middle firefighter: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $43,331
- average per full-year firefighter
- Starting salary
- $97,718
- bottom of the Paramedic Firefighter range
- Average pay rank
- 9th
- of 202 California employers
What does each firefighter title at South San Francisco 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
- Paramedic Firefighter$240,483
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 South San Francisco
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 | 39 | $97,718 to $118,789 | $240,483 |
| Engineers | 7 | $97,718 to $118,789 | $249,562 |
| Captains | 7 | $109,221 to $132,787 | $297,311 |
| Battalion Chiefs | 5 | $148,346 to $180,315 | $302,361 |
Full-year captains averaged $297,311, $56,828 more than firefighters.
Does South San Francisco pay firefighters more than other employers in San Mateo County?
Average total pay of full-year firefighters: South San Francisco next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- South San Francisco$240,483
- All employers in San Mateo County$219,236
- All employers in California$186,123
Full-year firefighters at South San Francisco earned $21,247 more than the San Mateo County average and $54,360 more than the California average.
Average firefighter pay in San Mateo County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year firefighters across all employers in each county that borders San Mateo County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Santa Clara County$214,586 average, 7 employers$4,650 less than San Mateo County
- Alameda County$211,608 average, 10 employers$7,628 less than San Mateo County
- San Francisco County$188,729 average, 1 employer$30,507 less than San Mateo County
- Santa Cruz County$184,502 average, 3 employers$34,734 less than San Mateo County
Where does South San Francisco rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year firefighters, by average total pay.1
All 202 California employers
South San Francisco ranks 9th of 202, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $169,232
The 7 employers in San Mateo County
South San Francisco ranks 1st of 7, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $215,990
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 South San Francisco
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 South San Francisco's firefighters
- Employer pension contribution
- $37,895
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $20,640
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about firefighter pay at South San Francisco
What is the average firefighter salary at South San Francisco?
Firefighters at South San Francisco who worked the full year earned an average of $240,483 in 2025, overtime included. The middle firefighter earned $234,140: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its firefighter titles runs from $97,718 to $118,789.
How much overtime do firefighters at South San Francisco earn?
Full-year firefighters were paid an average of $43,331 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $33,838: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a firefighter at South San Francisco?
$97,718 a year: the bottom of the official range for South San Francisco's Paramedic Firefighter title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year firefighters averaged $240,483 in total pay.
How much does a fire captain make at South San Francisco?
Full-year captains at South San Francisco averaged $297,311 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $109,221 to $132,787.
What pension do firefighters at South San Francisco get?
The most common pension formula among South San Francisco's firefighters is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $37,895 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in San Mateo County
- San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department$220,998 average total pay
- Central County Fire Department$216,758 average total pay
- San Bruno$215,990 average total pay
- Daly City$213,140 average total pay
- Brisbane$190,686 average total pay
- Menlo Park Fire Protection District$170,701 average total pay
- Colma Fire Protection Districtfirefighter pay
- Woodside Fire Protection Districtfirefighter pay
- Highest firefighter salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Police officer salaries at South San Francisco$208,917 average total pay
- 911 dispatcher salaries at South San Francisco$155,592 average total pay
- Water operator salaries at South San Francisco$152,915 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at South San FranciscoPay by title
- Paramedic and EMT salaries at South San FranciscoPay by title
- Teacher salaries in San Mateo CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the South San Francisco figures
Every person who held a firefighter position at South San Francisco 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 South San Francisco.