Updated September 8, 2026:Colorado's latest BLS-based firefighter median is $74,170, but current department schedules vary widely. Colorado Springs progresses from $70,764 at 4th Class to $96,300 at 1st Class, Aurora's 2026 scale reaches $108,843, Boulder reaches $110,516.33 at Fire Fighter 1st Class, and Westminster reaches $111,716.80 at Firefighter IV.
There is no single useful “Colorado firefighter salary.” The Denver metro, Colorado Springs, Boulder and Northern Colorado all use different pay systems, schedules and retirement arrangements. Some departments publish a rank progression, others publish recruit and post-probation pay, and some separate paramedic compensation from the standard firefighter scale.
This page uses current city, district, union and FPPA documents wherever possible. Statewide BLS data are kept separate from department salary schedules so an applicant can tell the difference between a labor-market statistic and an actual job offer.
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Colorado firefighter salary guide
- Colorado statewide wage benchmark
- 2026 pay by department
- Denver firefighter salary
- Colorado Springs firefighter salary
- Aurora firefighter salary
- Boulder firefighter salary
- Westminster firefighter salary
- Fort Collins / Poudre Fire salary
- North Metro firefighter-paramedic pay
- Paramedic and specialty pay
- Overtime and schedules
- FPPA contribution rates in 2026
- Estimating real take-home pay
- Frequently asked questions
What Is the Average Firefighter Salary in Colorado?
The latest BLS-based 2025 wage data show a Colorado firefighter median of $74,170 per year. The statewide 25th percentile is $60,970, the 75th percentile is $101,260, and the published 10th-to-90th percentile range is $47,000 to $114,170.
Metro-level medians vary sharply. The same BLS-based dataset shows $87,980 for Denver-Aurora-Centennial, $99,930 for Fort Collins-Loveland, $79,390 for Boulder and $63,110 for Colorado Springs.
Those metro figures are occupational wage estimates, not salary schedules for Denver Fire, Aurora Fire Rescue or Poudre Fire Authority. They are useful context, but the department tables below are the better source when comparing jobs.
The old $63,490 statewide figure was removed. The current page uses BLS 2025 wage data and current 2026 employer schedules instead of carrying forward an older statewide mean.
Colorado Firefighter Salary by Department — Verified 2026 Pay
| Department | Published pay | What the figure represents |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Fire Department | Firefighter 1st Grade: $106,287 | Current August 2026 City rehire posting. Denver's 2026–2027 CBA is adopted, but the indexed city material reviewed does not expose a clean current entry-level grade table, so this page does not invent one. |
| Colorado Springs Fire Department | 4th Class $70,764 1st Class $96,300 | 2026 pay chart. Academy trainee pay is $5,324/month. |
| Aurora Fire Rescue | Grade IV $70,748 Grade I $108,843 | 2026 CBA scale for 24-hour shift employees. |
| Boulder Fire-Rescue | 4th Class $77,361.43 1st Class $110,516.33 | 2026 IAFF Local 900 agreement; paramedic credential is separate. |
| Westminster Fire Department | FF I $78,208 FF IV $111,716.80 | 2026 progression; 48/96 operations schedule. |
| Poudre Fire Authority / Fort Collins | Intro FF $76,228.09 After probation $98,007.54 | Current PFA employment FAQ; excludes overtime and holiday pay. |
| North Metro Fire Rescue | FF/Paramedic $91,183–$128,118 | July 2026 Firefighter Paramedic recruitment; Broomfield area. |
A Denver 1st Grade salary, a Colorado Springs 4th Class salary and a North Metro firefighter-paramedic range are different points in a career. The table is meant to show verified public pay, not rank departments from highest to lowest.
Denver Firefighter Salary in 2026
Denver is one of the trickier Colorado departments to quote accurately because the City has a new 2026–2027 collective bargaining agreement with IAFF Local 858, while some public entry-level materials still display older salary labels.
The City Council adopted the 2026–2027 agreement in July 2025. The official resolution request states that the contract provides a 2% across-the-board increase effective January 1, 2026 and another 3% increase effective July 1, 2026.
A current City of Denver rehire posting dated August 2026 lists Firefighter 1st Grade at $106,287 annually. That is a verified current 1st Grade figure, not an entry-recruit salary.
Why there is no made-up “Denver starting salary” in this table: publicly indexed Denver entry materials reviewed for this update still show older salary labels. Until the City exposes the current entry-grade table cleanly, it is safer to publish the verified 1st Grade figure and explain the limitation than to relabel a 2025 number as 2026.
Colorado Springs Firefighter Salary in 2026
Colorado Springs publishes one of the clearest 2026 fire pay charts in the state:
| CSFD position | 2026 salary |
|---|---|
| Firefighter Trainee — 20-week academy | $5,324/month |
| 4th Class Firefighter | $70,764 |
| 3rd Class Firefighter | $78,624 |
| 2nd Class Firefighter | $87,360 |
| 1st Class Firefighter | $96,300 |
| 3rd Class Paramedic | $89,028 |
| 2nd Class Paramedic | $98,916 |
| 1st Class Paramedic | $109,584 |
The City's detailed 2026 salary schedule shows operational firefighters on a 56-hour workweek. That is why the monthly and annual figures are more useful for comparisons than simply putting a 56-hour hourly rate beside a 40-hour municipal job.
Aurora Fire Rescue Salary in 2026
Aurora Fire Rescue's current recruiting site publishes the full 2026 CBA pay ladder for 24-hour shift employees:
- Grade IV: $70,748
- Grade III: $78,367
- Grade II: $87,075
- Grade I: $108,843
Aurora also states that firefighters are covered by the FPPA Statewide Defined Benefit Pension Plan. The city and firefighter contribute according to FPPA requirements; the current statewide defined-benefit member rate is discussed in the pension section below.
Boulder Firefighter Salary in 2026
Boulder's 2026–2027 agreement with IAFF Local 900 gives unusually detailed wage information. The 2026 annual firefighter schedule is:
- Fire Fighter 4th Class: $77,361.43
- Fire Fighter 3rd Class: $88,413.06
- Fire Fighter 2nd Class: $99,464.70
- Fire Fighter 1st Class: $110,516.33
The contract sets the 2026 paramedic credential differential at $11,051.63. A 1st Class Fire Fighter with the paramedic credential is shown at $121,567.96. The same agreement lists Fire Engineer at $122,673.12 base and Fire Captain at $146,986.72 base.
Those promotional numbers are useful career-progression context, not new-hire firefighter pay.
Westminster Firefighter Salary in 2026
Westminster's June 2026 recruitment lists a clear progression on a 48/96 schedule:
- Fire Trainee: $78,208
- Firefighter I: $78,208
- Firefighter II: $83,782.40
- Firefighter III: $94,952
- Firefighter IV: $111,716.80
- Fire Paramedic: $125,099.52
Westminster also advertises a multilingual stipend program. A one-time multilingual incentive can reach $3,120 for qualifying new firefighters, but it is not recurring base salary and should not be folded into the annual firefighter figure.
Fort Collins Firefighter Salary — Poudre Fire Authority
Fire protection in Fort Collins is provided by Poudre Fire Authority (PFA). PFA's current employment FAQ lists an introductory firefighter base salary of $76,228.09, explicitly excluding overtime and holiday pay.
After successful completion of the probationary year, PFA says the firefighter salary increases to $98,007.54.
The separate position description still labels $76,228.09 as the 2025 pay-plan figure, while the current FAQ continues to publish the same amount. For transparency, this page treats it as PFA's current publicly posted base rather than claiming it reflects a newly adopted 2026 raise.
North Metro Firefighter Paramedic Salary in 2026
North Metro Fire Rescue District's July 2026 Firefighter Paramedic recruitment lists a salary range of $91,183 to $128,118 annually.
This is a paramedic-certified recruitment, not a general entry-firefighter pay scale, so it should not be compared directly with Colorado Springs 4th Class or Aurora Grade IV. It is included because “Colorado firefighter paramedic salary” and “Broomfield firefighter salary” are useful long-tail searches and this is a current verified public posting.
How Much More Do Firefighter Paramedics Make in Colorado?
There is no statewide paramedic premium. Departments handle it in different ways:
- Colorado Springs: separate paramedic rank progression, from $89,028 to $109,584 in 2026.
- Boulder: paramedic credential differential is $11,051.63 in 2026.
- Westminster: Fire Paramedic salary is $125,099.52.
- North Metro: 2026 Firefighter Paramedic recruitment range is $91,183–$128,118.
The old article's generic specialty-pay assumptions have been removed. When the city publishes a real paramedic number, this guide uses it; when it does not, no statewide dollar estimate is invented.
Colorado Firefighter Overtime and Wildland Assignments
The previous version said wildfire season “significantly increases overtime for many Colorado departments” and that Denver overtime is consistent year-round. Those may be true for individual crews or years, but they are not defensible statewide salary assumptions without payroll data.
What the official sources support is more specific:
- Poudre Fire Authority says its published introductory base excludes overtime and holiday pay.
- Colorado Springs publishes operational fire ranks on a 56-hour schedule.
- Westminster uses a 48/96 firefighter schedule.
- Boulder publishes separate shift and 40-hour rates in its labor agreement.
- State wildland positions can be overtime eligible or exempt depending on the classification.
Colorado's wildfire exposure can create deployment opportunities, but do not budget a home purchase around an assumed wildfire-overtime figure. Ask the department how FLSA, callback, holdover, mutual-aid deployments and backfill are actually paid.
FPPA Pension Contributions in 2026
The old article's “approximately 8%” FPPA contribution statement was not accurate enough. FPPA has multiple plans and components, each with its own rate.
| FPPA plan/component | 2026 member contribution |
|---|---|
| Statewide Retirement Plan — Defined Benefit Component | 12% of pensionable earnings |
| Statewide Retirement Plan — Social Security Component | 6% |
| Hybrid / Money Purchase minimum structure | Minimum total split starts at 8.5% member / 8.5% employer, subject to plan structure |
| Colorado Springs New Hire Pension Plan — Fire Component | 10% of basic salary |
| Statewide Money Purchase Plan | 8% member / 8% employer |
FPPA also lists the 2026 Statewide Death & Disability Plan contribution at 4.0%, but that contribution can be paid by members, employers or split between them as a local decision. It should not automatically be added to every firefighter's paycheck deduction.
For take-home estimates: identify the exact FPPA plan used by the department before subtracting a pension percentage. Aurora states that its firefighters use the Statewide Defined Benefit Plan, while Colorado Springs has its own New Hire Pension Plan fire component.
What Will a Colorado Firefighter Actually Take Home?
There is no single “real take-home” number for Colorado. A practical comparison is:
- Start with the actual recruit or first-step annual base.
- Separate academy pay from post-academy salary.
- Add paramedic or specialty pay only when you qualify for it.
- Confirm whether scheduled/FLSA overtime is already included.
- Subtract the correct FPPA member contribution for that department's plan.
- Add health, dental and voluntary retirement deductions.
- Then compare housing and commuting costs in the specific service area.
That last point matters in Colorado. Boulder, Westminster, Denver metro and Fort Collins can have very different housing costs from Colorado Springs or smaller Front Range communities. But this page does not convert cost of living into a fake salary-equivalent number; applicants should compare their own likely housing and commute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average firefighter salary in Colorado?
The latest BLS-based 2025 data show a $74,170 median annual wage for Colorado firefighters. The statewide 10th-to-90th percentile range is $47,000–$114,170.
How much does a Colorado Springs firefighter make?
Colorado Springs lists $70,764 for 4th Class Firefighter and $96,300 for 1st Class Firefighter in 2026. Academy trainee pay is $5,324 per month.
How much does an Aurora firefighter make?
Aurora's 2026 CBA lists $70,748 at Grade IV through $108,843 at Grade I.
How much does a Boulder firefighter make?
Boulder's 2026 agreement lists $77,361.43 at 4th Class and $110,516.33 at 1st Class. The paramedic credential differential is $11,051.63.
How much does a Fort Collins firefighter make?
Poudre Fire Authority currently lists $76,228.09 for introductory firefighter base pay, excluding overtime and holiday pay, and $98,007.54 after successful completion of the probationary year.
How much does a Westminster firefighter make?
Westminster's 2026 progression runs from $78,208 at Firefighter I to $111,716.80 at Firefighter IV. Fire Paramedic is $125,099.52.
How much do Colorado firefighters contribute to FPPA?
It depends on the plan. In 2026 the FPPA Statewide Defined Benefit Component has a 12% member rate, while the Colorado Springs New Hire Pension Plan fire component uses 10%. Other FPPA components have different contribution structures.
Sources and Data Notes
- O*NET / BLS 2025 Colorado firefighter wage data.
- Denver 2026–2027 Firefighters Local 858 CBA approval.
- Colorado Springs Firefighter Salary & Benefits — 2026.
- Aurora Fire Rescue 2026 CBA pay scale.
- Boulder / IAFF Local 900 2026–2027 agreement.
- Westminster Firefighter 2026 salary progression.
- Poudre Fire Authority Employment FAQ.
- North Metro Fire Rescue 2026 Firefighter Paramedic posting.
- FPPA 2026 annual contribution rates.
Editorial note: Colorado fire pay schedules can change through collective bargaining, budget changes and new recruit cycles. Figures were checked against public sources available September 8, 2026. Where a department's current entry-grade number was not cleanly available, the article says so rather than relabeling an older rate.
Interested in working as a firefighter in Colorado? See our firefighter hiring process guide for requirements, CPAT, written exams and academy basics.
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