What are the main factors that influence an Engine Captain's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Engine Captain's salary?

An Engine Captain's salary grows with experience: starting around $84,053 for beginners, reaching about $86,145 at mid-level, and approach $92,146 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for an Engine Captain?

Engine Captain salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Engine Captain roles are District of Columbia $98,381, California $98,008, Massachusetts $96,702. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Engine Captain roles make?

Salaries for Engine Captain level roles vary by specialization: Captain: $164,700; Engine Programmer: $124,556; Engine Designer: $107,287; Fire Captain: $85,403; Engine Technician: $75,523.

How do different companies affect an Engine Captain's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Engine Captain roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Engine Captain Salary in the United States

How much does an Engine Captain make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for an Engine Captain in the United States is $88,856 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.

However, an Engine Captain's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $113,998
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,253 to $102,016
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $66,689

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI Onboarding

AI-Powered Talent

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Engine Captain Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$102,016	$8,501	$1,962	$49
Average	$88,856	$7,405	$1,709	$43
25th Percentile	$77,253	$6,438	$1,486	$37

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Engine Captain Job Openings in the United States

Associate Attorney

New Beginnings Family Law, P.C. - HUNTSVILLE, AL

Family Care APP

St. Charles Health System - PRINEVILLE, OR

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

The Missing Piece ABA Therapy, LLC - AUBURN, IN

Emergency Medicine Physician

Emergent Medical Associates - SAN DIMAS, CA

Search More Engine Captain Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Engine Captain Salaries

An Engine Captain's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Engine Captain Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Engine Captain's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $84,053
Early Career (1-2 years): $84,924
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $86,145
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $88,275
Expert (over 8 years): $92,146

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Engine Captain	$84,053
Intermediate Level Engine Captain	$84,924
Senior Level Engine Captain	$86,145
Specialist Level Engine Captain	$88,275
Expert Level Engine Captain	$92,146

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Engine Captain Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Engine Captains. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $98,381.
California: $98,008.
Massachusetts: $96,702.

District of Columbia $98,381

California $98,008

Massachusetts $96,702

Washington $96,346

New Jersey $96,311

Alaska $96,187

Connecticut $94,960

New York $94,463

Hawaii $92,872

Rhode Island $92,126

Maryland $91,619

Minnesota $90,926

Colorado $90,660

Illinois $90,571

Oregon $90,233

Delaware $89,984

New Hampshire $89,828

Virginia $89,478

Pennsylvania $88,456

Nevada $87,941

North Dakota $87,772

Michigan $87,505

Wisconsin $87,408

Vermont $87,212

Texas $86,670

Maine $86,635

Arizona $86,581

Ohio $86,519

Georgia $85,702

Indiana $85,293

Wyoming $85,213

Utah $85,088

Iowa $85,035

Kansas $84,609

Louisiana $84,484

North Carolina $84,440

Missouri $84,422

Florida $84,075

Montana $83,889

Nebraska $83,711

Kentucky $83,613

South Carolina $83,258

Tennessee $83,036

Idaho $82,947

New Mexico $82,298

Oklahoma $82,156

Alabama $81,632

South Dakota $80,752

Arkansas $80,272

West Virginia $80,015

Mississippi $79,242

Top Paying Cities for Engine Captains

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $112,074
San Francisco: $110,972
Oakland: $108,511

San Jose, CA $112,074

San Francisco, CA $110,972

Oakland, CA $108,511

New York, NY $102,975

Queens Village, NY $102,309

Paramus, NJ $101,598

Passaic, NJ $101,509

Bergenfield, NJ $101,420

Stamford, CT $101,287

Huntington, NY $101,198

Newark, NJ $100,620

Bridgeport, CT $100,443

New Brunswick, NJ $100,149

Vallejo, CA $99,963

Middlesex, NJ $99,910

Somerset, NJ $99,830

Petaluma, CA $99,625

Santa Cruz, CA $99,279

Boston, MA $99,101

Monterey, CA $98,657

Fairbanks, AK $98,595

Los Angeles, CA $98,426

Washington, DC $98,381

Seattle, WA $98,221

Santa Rosa, CA $98,204

Juneau, AK $97,946

Orange, CA $97,653

Anchorage, AK $97,493

Anaheim, CA $97,430

Santa Ana, CA $97,297

Nassau, NY $97,244

Long Beach, CA $97,208

Danbury, CT $97,182

Santa Maria, CA $96,880

Everett, WA $96,862

Bremerton, WA $96,426

Trenton, NJ $96,258

Sacramento, CA $96,222

San Diego, CA $96,178

Brockton, MA $96,142

Tacoma, WA $96,107

Santa Barbara, CA $95,982

Lowell, MA $95,627

New Suffolk, NY $95,591

Nashua, NH $95,485

Lompoc, CA $95,342

Ventura, CA $95,254

Stockton, CA $95,227

New Haven, CT $95,049

Atlantic City, NJ $94,818

Hartford, CT $94,623

Modesto, CA $94,578

Poughkeepsie, NY $94,383

New Britain, CT $94,338

Olympia, WA $94,214

Kennewick, WA $94,214

New London, CT $94,196

Norwich, CT $94,169

Lawrence, MA $94,125

Bakersfield, CA $93,876

Riverside, CA $93,752

New Bedford, MA $93,752

Richland, WA $93,663

Portsmouth, NH $93,592

Vineland, NJ $93,574

San Bernardino, CA $93,503

Boulder, CO $93,254

Worcester, MA $93,183

Portland, OR $93,103

Saint Paul, MN $92,997

Minneapolis, MN $92,997

Philadelphia, PA $92,872

Honolulu, HI $92,401

Springfield, MA $92,090

Providence, RI $92,081

Chicago, IL $91,824

Bellingham, WA $91,717

Baltimore, MD $91,619

Chico, CA $91,397

Wilmington, DE $91,246

Pittsfield, MA $91,157

Manchester, NH $90,988

Spokane, WA $90,597

Denver, CO $90,589

Albany, NY $90,171

Troy, NY $90,135

Schenectady, NY $89,949

Burlington, VT $89,753

Portland, ME $89,442

Salem, OR $89,371

Yakima, WA $89,353

Ann Arbor, MI $89,327

Rochester, MN $89,078

Fresno, CA $89,034

Reno, NV $89,034

Milwaukee, WI $88,954

Detroit, MI $88,865

Allentown, PA $88,838

Carson City, NV $88,829

Houston, TX $88,696

Colorado Springs, CO $88,687

Syracuse, NY $88,643

Eugene, OR $88,474

Bismarck, ND $88,367

Gary, IN $88,367

Galveston, TX $88,367

Springfield, OR $88,296

Medford, OR $88,083

Fort Collins, CO $88,047

Austin, TX $87,976

Mesa, AZ $87,790

Phoenix, AZ $87,772

Dallas, TX $87,745

Reading, PA $87,692

Saint Cloud, MN $87,656

Concord, NH $87,576

Madison, WI $87,541

Utica, NY $87,301

Raleigh, NC $87,230

Las Vegas, NV $87,221

Rochester, NY $87,159

Des Moines, IA $87,150

Atlanta, GA $87,008

Battle Creek, MI $86,981

Salt Lake City, UT $86,954

Lancaster, PA $86,821

Champaign, IL $86,803

Harrisburg, PA $86,697

Durham, NC $86,617

Kansas City, MO $86,608

Kansas City, KS $86,590

Fort Worth, TX $86,581

Boca Raton, FL $86,546

Cleveland, OH $86,537

Columbus, OH $86,519

Pittsburgh, PA $86,510

Richmond, VA $86,475

Indianapolis, IN $86,457

Cincinnati, OH $86,341

Petersburg, VA $86,208

Billings, MT $86,013

Lansing, MI $86,013

Huntsville, AL $86,013

Lebanon, PA $86,004

Dayton, OH $85,995

Pueblo, CO $85,995

Appleton, WI $85,968

Buffalo, NY $85,933

Racine, WI $85,888

Charlotte, NC $85,879

Saint Louis, MO $85,853

Springfield, IL $85,817

Elkhart, IN $85,799

York, PA $85,799

Gastonia, NC $85,790

Benton Harbor, MI $85,790

Beaumont, TX $85,737

Lorain, OH $85,719

Toledo, OH $85,684

Binghamton, NY $85,639

Rock Hill, SC $85,630

Rockford, IL $85,586

Fargo, ND $85,542

Elyria, OH $85,542

Flagstaff, AZ $85,479

Fort Lauderdale, FL $85,426

Miami, FL $85,373

Duluth, MN $85,231

Bangor, ME $85,115

Cedar Rapids, IA $85,017

Louisville, KY $84,973

Grand Rapids, MI $84,955

Hialeah, FL $84,946

Casper, WY $84,822

Scranton, PA $84,715

New Orleans, LA $84,689

Virginia Beach, VA $84,680

Akron, OH $84,635

Peoria, IL $84,520

Sarasota, FL $84,502

Green Bay, WI $84,440

Baton Rouge, LA $84,395

Charleston, SC $84,378

Nashville, TN $84,351

Jamestown, NY $84,333

Davenport, IA $84,333

Tucson, AZ $84,289

Cheyenne, WY $84,262

Saint Petersburg, FL $84,235

Tampa, FL $84,218

Omaha, NE $84,200

Port Arthur, TX $84,164

Evansville, IN $84,164

Bradenton, FL $84,129

Santa Fe, NM $83,969

Orlando, FL $83,880

Clearwater, FL $83,782

Canton, OH $83,596

La Crosse, WI $83,596

Grand Forks, ND $83,569

Albuquerque, NM $83,542

Tulsa, OK $83,542

Newport News, VA $83,533

High Point, NC $83,507

Ogden, UT $83,471

Corpus Christi, TX $83,400

Laramie, WY $83,347

Norfolk, VA $83,347

Rock Island, IL $83,294

Saginaw, MI $83,276

Jacksonville, FL $83,267

Salisbury, NC $83,249

Memphis, TN $83,231

Moline, IL $83,187

Fort Myers, FL $83,160

Waterloo, IA $83,045

Spartanburg, SC $82,956

Lincoln, NE $82,911

Fort Wayne, IN $82,894

Birmingham, AL $82,796

Cedar Falls, IA $82,778

Provo, UT $82,769

Springfield, OH $82,760

San Antonio, TX $82,743

Greensboro, NC $82,707

South Bend, IN $82,698

Winston Salem, NC $82,689

Boise, ID $82,663

Savannah, GA $82,600

Muskegon, MI $82,441

Lima, OH $82,334

Lake Charles, LA $82,298

Anderson, IN $82,281

Lexington, KY $82,254

Augusta, GA $82,227

Greenville, SC $82,227

Wichita, KS $82,147

Tuscaloosa, AL $82,147

Columbia, SC $82,067

Bloomington, IN $81,845

Roanoke, VA $81,792

Asheville, NC $81,676

Knoxville, TN $81,525

Shreveport, LA $81,516

Wilmington, NC $81,401

Frankfort, KY $81,232

Oklahoma City, OK $81,170

Chillicothe, OH $81,134

Longview, TX $81,125

Topeka, KS $81,099

Mobile, AL $80,965

Terre Haute, IN $80,930

Erie, PA $80,921

Altoona, PA $80,877

Melbourne, FL $80,850

Amarillo, TX $80,814

Killeen, TX $80,788

Fayetteville, AR $80,717

Sioux Falls, SD $80,655

Chattanooga, TN $80,601

Idaho Falls, ID $80,592

Gainesville, FL $80,406

Portsmouth, OH $80,361

Little Rock, AR $80,344

Lynchburg, VA $80,344

Lafayette, LA $80,308

Youngstown, OH $80,308

Temple, TX $80,272

Daytona Beach, FL $80,255

Clarksville, TN $80,246

Pensacola, FL $80,237

Hopkinsville, KY $79,970

Charleston, WV $79,961

Florence, SC $79,917

Sioux City, IA $79,864

Macon, GA $79,606

Tallahassee, FL $79,597

Fayetteville, NC $79,579

Waco, TX $79,562

Wichita Falls, TX $79,562

Pine Bluff, AR $79,526

Vincennes, IN $79,357

Lubbock, TX $79,322

Great Falls, MT $79,268

Alamogordo, NM $79,259

Abilene, TX $79,188

Rapid City, SD $79,073

Monroe, LA $79,073

Albany, GA $79,020

Huntington, WV $79,011

Jackson, MS $79,002

Greenville, MS $78,993

Parkersburg, WV $78,904

Montgomery, AL $78,886

Johnstown, PA $78,868

Springfield, MO $78,797

Biloxi, MS $78,753

Sumter, SC $78,566

Columbus, GA $78,558

Twin Falls, ID $78,504

Pascagoula, MS $78,389

Kingsport, TN $78,158

Gulfport, MS $78,131

Alexandria, LA $77,838

Fort Smith, AR $77,616

El Paso, TX $77,376

Helena, MT $77,260

Las Cruces, NM $76,976

Harlingen, TX $76,727

Pocatello, ID $76,647

Florence, AL $76,620

Brownsville, TX $76,603

Dothan, AL $76,461

Mcallen, TX $76,416

Columbus, MS $75,759

Altus, OK $75,350

Lawton, OK $75,181

Pierre, SD $74,861

What Skills Can Increase an Engine Captain's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 9.11% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Emergency Services (Mentioned in 3.31% Job Postings): Emergency Services are the public organizations that respond to and deal with emergencies when they occur, especially those that provide police, ambulance, and firefighting services.
Square (Mentioned in 1.36% Job Postings): Square in geometry, a plane figure with four equal sides and four right (90°) angles. A square is a special kind of rectangle and a special kind of parallelogram.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	9.11%
Emergency Services	3.31%
Square	1.36%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Engine Captain's salary.

Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Strategic Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Project Management	$96,853	9%
Strategic Planning	$95,964	8%
Collaboration	$94,187	6%
Quality Assurance	$94,187	6%
Emergency Management	$92,410	4%
Initiative	$92,410	4%

Get Latest Data

Engine Captain Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Engine Captain's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

$77,253

Average $88,856/year

$102,016

$6,438

Average $7,405/month

$8,501

$1,486

Average $1,709/week

$1,962

$37

Average $43/hour

$49

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$102,016	$8,501	$1,962	$49
Average	$88,856	$7,405	$1,709	$43
25th Percentile	$77,253	$6,438	$1,486	$37

Salaries of jobs related to Engine Captain

Salary Trends for Engine Captain

Salaries for an Engine Captain can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $90,430 in 2023 to around $89,817 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Engine Captain salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Engine Captain Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$90,430

2024

$90,526

2025

$89,817

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$90,430
2024	$90,526
2025	$89,817
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Engine Captain

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit

the United States

Find Your Next Engine Captain Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Engine Captain job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about