Minnesota Firefighter Salary (2026) – City Breakdown, Overtime & Real Take-Home
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Minnesota firefighter compensation varies widely by department, schedule, overtime policy, and benefits. This guide breaks down what Minnesota firefighters actually earn in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Duluth, and Bloomington — from entry-level pay to top-step with overtime — and what shapes real take-home pay across the state's major departments.
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Minnesota Firefighter Salary — Quick Numbers (2026)
Nationally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median firefighter wage at $59,530 (May 2024, the most recent OEWS data published). Minnesota's own BLS OEWS state-level breakout runs well below that: the statewide median wage for firefighters in Minnesota is $41,990, with the bottom 10% earning around $29,040 and the top 10% earning about $72,970 in base pay before overtime. That statewide figure is pulled down by Minnesota's large number of small, paid-on-call, and volunteer/combination departments — career firefighters at the state's major metro departments earn substantially more, as the city breakdown below shows. Third-party job-market data reflects that split too: ZipRecruiter's 2026 aggregate puts the Minnesota average at $58,379 (and, using its own job-posting methodology, ranks Minnesota 50th nationally), while Glassdoor's employee-submitted data for the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro averages a considerably higher $73,526.
| Level | Annual Base Pay |
|---|---|
| Recruit / cadet (career metro departments) | $45,000–$58,000 |
| Entry-level (post-academy, step 1) | $58,000–$68,000 |
| Mid-career (5–10 years) | $68,000–$85,000 |
| Top-step Firefighter | $85,000–$100,000 |
| With overtime (realistic, major metro) | $95,000–$125,000 |
| Engineer / Driver-Operator | $88,000–$106,000 |
| Captain | $95,000–$125,000 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 statewide estimates (most recent state-level data for Minnesota), current department civil-service postings, and union contracts. Numbers reflect base pay; total compensation with overtime and specialty pay runs higher, especially at Minneapolis and St. Paul.
City-by-City Breakdown
| Department | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Fire Department (MFD) | ~$45,700 cadet starting rate → $72,795–$73,605 average → $90,000–$107,000+ top earners | Largest department in Minnesota; IAFF Local 82. Cadets work a 24-hour shift starting at $21.975/hour per the city's own posting. High call volume drives some of the state's most consistent overtime. Confirm current step pay on MFD's civil-service page, as figures shift between contract cycles. |
| St. Paul Fire Department (SPFD) | $65,585–$97,481 posted Firefighter/EMT range | Twin Cities counterpart to Minneapolis; dual fire/EMT model. This range comes from the city's own Firefighter/EMT job posting and should be reconfirmed against the current opening, since posted ranges shift between hiring cycles. Fire Captain pay averages roughly $88,800. |
| Rochester Fire Department | $46,000–$75,000 | Home to the Mayo Clinic; growing population base. Third-party estimates for average pay range from about $53,000 (Indeed) up to $75,000 (Glassdoor), so confirm the department's current step table directly rather than relying on any single aggregator. |
| Duluth Fire Department | $50,000–$88,000+ | Lake Superior port city; unique marine, cold-water rescue, and industrial hazmat exposure. Third-party salary estimates vary unusually widely for Duluth (from roughly $59,000 to $95,000 average depending on the source), so verify current pay directly with the department before treating any single number as reliable. |
| Bloomington Fire Department | $58,000–$90,000 | Minneapolis suburb; Mall of America proximity creates a distinct high-occupancy, high-rise, and event-security hazard profile relative to comparably sized departments. Confirm current step pay with Bloomington civil-service recruiting. |
City figures combine current civil-service job postings, department pay pages, and third-party salary aggregates (Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Indeed) where a full public step table wasn't available. Pay tables change between budget cycles and union contract negotiations — always confirm exact numbers on the department's own civil-service page before comparing offers.
Overtime and Premium Pay
Minneapolis and St. Paul carry the most consistent overtime in the state, driven by call volume and staffing levels in a dense urban core. Suburban and mid-size departments like Bloomington and Rochester run more moderate, budget-managed overtime. Winter storm response — ice, extreme cold, and weather-related emergency calls — creates seasonal demand spikes statewide, and Duluth's Lake Superior port adds marine and industrial incident response on top of that. Most Minnesota career departments run a 24-hour shift schedule, which by itself creates regular overtime opportunities for sick coverage, training backfill, and special-event details.
Use the Salary Comparison Tool to model different overtime assumptions before comparing departments — treat any overtime figure as a range, not a guarantee.
Retirement and Pension
Most career Minnesota firefighters are covered by the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) Police & Fire Plan, a defined-benefit plan built specifically for full-time licensed police officers and professional firefighters. As of 2026, members contribute 11.8% of gross salary per paycheck, with employers contributing 17.7%. The benefit formula is roughly 3% of average salary per year of service, with full, unreduced retirement available at age 55 (as early as 50 with a reduced benefit), and vesting after three years of service. Minneapolis and St. Paul firefighters are folded into the PERA Police & Fire Plan through legacy "Minneapolis Fire Plan" provisions that receive the same benefit-increase treatment — worth confirming directly with HR, since legacy consolidations occasionally carry city-specific wrinkles. Smaller Minnesota communities may instead use paid-on-call or volunteer relief associations rather than PERA, so confirm which system applies before comparing pension value across departments.
Cost of Living — What Your Salary Actually Buys
Minnesota carries above-average state income tax rates compared to most of the country, which is a real drag on take-home pay regardless of department. Housing costs in the Twin Cities metro remain more affordable than coastal high-cost cities but have climbed noticeably since 2020, especially in and around Minneapolis. Rochester and Duluth generally offer better housing value relative to firefighter pay than the Twin Cities core. Winters are a genuine cost-of-living factor statewide — heating costs and cold-weather gear needs are higher than in most other states firefighters commonly compare Minnesota against.
How to Compare Two Minnesota Departments
- Match the same rank and step (cadet vs. entry vs. top step) — comparing a cadet rate at one department to a tenured rate at another isn't a fair comparison.
- Confirm the schedule type and how overtime is calculated under the current contract.
- Get the actual pension plan and contribution rate — most career departments use PERA Police & Fire, but confirm this, especially for smaller or paid-on-call departments.
- Ask for healthcare premium costs for your specific coverage tier.
- Subtract deductions, then compare realistic take-home against housing and state income-tax exposure in that specific city — not the statewide average.
- Add conservative overtime assumptions — use low-end estimates, not maximum-scenario numbers, when deciding between offers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average firefighter salary in Minnesota?
The BLS statewide median wage for firefighters in Minnesota is $41,990 (May 2024 data, the most recent state-level breakout available), a figure pulled down by the state's many small, paid-on-call, and volunteer/combination departments. Career firefighters at larger departments such as Minneapolis and St. Paul typically earn $68,000–$85,000 in base pay, with top-step pay reaching $85,000–$100,000. With realistic overtime at a busy metro department, total compensation can range from $95,000–$125,000.
Do Minnesota firefighters get a pension?
Yes. Most career Minnesota firefighters are covered by the PERA Police & Fire Plan, a defined-benefit plan with employee contributions of 11.8% of gross salary (employer contributes 17.7%). The benefit is roughly 3% of average salary per year of service, with full retirement available at age 55. Smaller communities may instead use paid-on-call or volunteer relief associations, so confirm which system applies to your specific department.
Is Minnesota a good state for a firefighter career?
Minnesota offers solid compensation at its major career departments alongside a well-funded, formula-based PERA pension, though above-average state income tax and a higher cost of living than the statewide BLS median suggests are real trade-offs to weigh. Minneapolis and St. Paul are the primary career markets by size and pay, with Rochester, Duluth, and Bloomington offering additional career-department options with their own distinct hazard profiles.
Interested in working as a firefighter in Minnesota? See our firefighter hiring process guide — requirements, CPAT, written exam, and academy explained step by step.
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