Connecticut Firefighter Salary (2026) – Stamford, Greenwich, Hartford & City Pay

Connecticut firefighter pay is heavily local. Cities use different contracts, step schedules, pension systems and overtime rules, so a statewide “entry-to-top-step” estimate can hide more than it explains.

This guide uses current or clearly dated municipal sources and labels older salary schedules instead of silently carrying them forward. Where a 2026 department salary could not be verified cleanly, the page says so.

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What Is the Average Firefighter Salary in Connecticut?

The latest directly verifiable statewide BLS Connecticut table available in the source set reviewed for this update is May 2023. It reported a mean firefighter wage of $72,470 and a median of $76,480.

The same BLS dataset showed metro medians of $78,850 for Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, $78,340 for Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, $80,140 for New Haven and $80,850 for Waterbury.

Those are occupational wage estimates from 2023, not 2026 municipal salary schedules. The city sections below are more useful for someone applying now.

Connecticut Firefighter Salary by City — Current Public Pay

The table mixes active recruitment ranges, current incumbent step data and the latest published older wage schedules. Each row identifies what the number actually means.

Stamford Firefighter Salary in 2026

Stamford's firefighter recruitment that closed January 31, 2026 listed an annual salary range of $62,142 to $95,277. The position is a full-time bargaining-unit Firefighter role within the Stamford Fire Department.

That makes Stamford one of the cleanest current salary references in Connecticut because the same posting spans the 2025–2026 hiring cycle and publishes a full annual range rather than only an hourly rate.

Greenwich Firefighter Salary in 2026

Greenwich's February 2026 Fire Fighter recruitment listed $68,042 to $93,270 annually for entry-level and lateral candidates.

The posting also required a valid CPAT card and set additional probationary requirements including a Q endorsement, hazardous-materials operations training and emergency medical certification. Those requirements matter when comparing Greenwich with a department that hires recruits before they hold equivalent credentials.

East Hartford Firefighter/Paramedic Salary

East Hartford currently runs a continuous entry-level Firefighter/Paramedic recruitment. The published salary is $73,379 to $84,653 annually, or $33.60 to $38.76 per hour.

The job requires a Connecticut or National Registry paramedic credential by the time of the job offer. The Town also lists a $1,000 one-time paramedic sign-on bonus.

New Haven Firefighter Salary in 2026

New Haven publishes employee vacancy reports that include current-year salaries. The April 2026 report lists Fire Fighter / Paramedic / Lateral at $85,305.

The same report provides useful career-progression context:

• Fire Lieutenant: $95,558
• Fire Captain: $106,131
• Battalion Chief: $113,299

Those are current-year City salary figures appearing in the vacancy report, not an entry-level general firefighter range.

Bridgeport Firefighter Salary in 2026

Bridgeport's February 10, 2026 Civil Service Commission records provide a useful look at the active firefighter step system. Two Fire Fighters received merit increases from $66,343 at Step 2 to $74,902 at Step 3.

That does not tell us the current entry step or top firefighter step, so this page does not extrapolate a complete 2026 range from those two numbers.

The City's FY2026 adopted budget also includes substantial fire-department overtime funding. That proves overtime is a meaningful budget line, but it does not justify saying a typical Bridgeport firefighter earns a fixed extra $15,000, $20,000 or $30,000.

Hartford Firefighter Salary in 2026

Hartford is currently covered by a Firefighters Association Local 760 agreement running from January 1, 2025 through June 30, 2029. State oversight documents list that contract as current in 2026.

The latest publicly indexed Hartford firefighter recruitment located for this update is from 2024, when the City advertised $56,733.04 to $77,163.06 and stated that recruits would be paid 10% below the base rate for their first six months.

Norwalk Firefighter Salary

The latest Norwalk firefighter wage schedule located in the City's published fire contract is effective January 1, 2024. It lists Firefighter steps from $75,516 to $91,896.

That contract also says new firefighter recruits receive 7% below Step 1 until they successfully complete probation, then move to Step 1 and progress through the schedule.

Because that wage table is explicitly a 2024 schedule, it is useful for structure and recent history but should not be represented as a confirmed 2026 Norwalk salary.

Connecticut Firefighter Overtime: Do Not Use a Statewide Add-On

The previous version of this page said Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven commonly add $15,000–$30,000+ through overtime. That estimate has been removed.

Overtime can be significant in Connecticut fire departments, but the amount depends on vacancies, staffing minimums, callbacks, holdovers, leave coverage, labor agreements and individual availability.

Bridgeport's FY2026 adopted budget is a good example: the fire department has a large overtime appropriation, which shows overtime is operationally important. It still does not tell an applicant what one individual firefighter will earn.

When comparing offers, ask:

1. What schedule does the department use?
2. Is any FLSA/scheduled overtime already included in the published annual salary?
3. How are callback, holdover and mandatory overtime paid?
4. Are holiday hours paid separately?
5. Does paramedic or specialty certification add recurring pay?

Connecticut Firefighter Pensions: CMERS Is Not Universal

The old article said CMERS applies to “most departments.” That is too broad.

Connecticut Municipal Employees Retirement System (CMERS) is available to participating municipalities, and municipalities can designate which departments are covered. When a department participates, eligible regular employees generally become members. Other municipalities can maintain their own locally negotiated retirement systems.

For CMERS members, the Connecticut State Comptroller currently lists these employee contribution rules:

That does not mean every Connecticut firefighter contributes at those rates. First confirm that the hiring municipality and fire department participate in CMERS. If the department has its own pension system, use that plan's current contribution and benefit rules instead.

What Will a Connecticut Firefighter Actually Take Home?

A fixed “real take-home” number would be misleading. The useful calculation starts with the department's actual offer:

1. Use the recruit or first-step base salary, not the top of the range.
2. Separate basic firefighter pay from firefighter/paramedic or lateral pay.
3. Add only recurring premiums you are actually eligible for.
4. Confirm overtime treatment under the current contract.
5. Identify the actual pension system and employee contribution rate.
6. Subtract healthcare and other elected deductions.
7. Apply federal and Connecticut tax withholding to your own household situation.

Connecticut's local structure makes this especially important. A Stamford firefighter range, a New Haven lateral-paramedic salary and a Greenwich entry/lateral range are not interchangeable numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average firefighter salary in Connecticut?

The latest directly verifiable BLS Connecticut state table reviewed here is from May 2023. It reported a $72,470 mean and $76,480 median annual firefighter wage. Use current municipal salary schedules for 2026 hiring decisions.

How much does a Stamford firefighter make?

Stamford's firefighter posting that closed January 31, 2026 listed $62,142–$95,277 annually.

How much does a Greenwich firefighter make?

Greenwich's 2026 entry-level and lateral Fire Fighter recruitment listed $68,042–$93,270 annually.

How much does an East Hartford firefighter paramedic make?

East Hartford's current continuous recruitment lists $73,379–$84,653 annually, plus a $1,000 one-time paramedic sign-on bonus.

How much does a New Haven firefighter paramedic make?

New Haven's April 2026 vacancy report lists Fire Fighter / Paramedic / Lateral at $85,305.

Do Connecticut firefighters get overtime?

Yes, but there is no reliable statewide overtime amount. Use the municipality's current labor agreement and staffing rules rather than adding a generic $15,000–$30,000 estimate.

Do Connecticut firefighters get a pension?

Many do, but the pension system varies by municipality. CMERS covers participating municipal departments; other cities may use local plans. Current CMERS employee contribution rules are 7% without Social Security or 4.25% up to the Social Security wage base plus 7% above it when covered by Social Security.

Sources and Data Notes

• BLS Connecticut OEWS — May 2023 — statewide and metro wage benchmarks.
• City of Stamford Firefighter recruitment.
• Greenwich 2026 Fire Fighter recruitment.
• East Hartford Firefighter/Paramedic recruitment.
• City of New Haven April 2026 vacancy report.
• Bridgeport Civil Service Commission — February 10, 2026.
• City of Hartford labor contracts and current contract status.
• Hartford 2024 Firefighter recruitment — included only as a clearly dated historical salary reference.
• Norwalk Fire contract — 2024 wage schedule.
• Connecticut State Comptroller — CMERS How It Works.

Editorial note: Connecticut fire compensation is negotiated locally and can change with new contracts, step progressions and recruit classes. Figures were checked against public sources available September 8, 2026. Older salary schedules are explicitly labeled with their effective year.

Interested in working as a firefighter in Connecticut? See our firefighter requirements and hiring guide for CPAT, testing and academy basics.