As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Fire Chief in Santa Ana, CA is $97,687, equivalent to $47 per hour, $1,879 weekly, or $8,141 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Fire Chief in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Fire Chief in Santa Ana, CA vary widely, spanning from $72,874 to $125,366. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($84,699) and 75th percentile ($112,175), while top earners (90th percentile) make $125,366 per year. This $27,476 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Planning or Emergency Services, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Santa Ana Fire Chief often earn 0.7% higher than national averages. However, Santa Ana currently ranks 96 statewide for Fire Chief job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Fire Chief Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Fire Chief Salary $72,874 Santa Ana, CA July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Fire Chief Salary $84,699 Santa Ana, CA July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Fire Chief Salary $97,687 Santa Ana, CA July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Fire Chief Salary $112,175 Santa Ana, CA July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Fire Chief Salary $125,366 Santa Ana, CA July 01, 2026
25% $84,699 10% $72,874 90% $125,366 75% $112,175 $97,687 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Fire Chief ?

A fire chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department....

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/25/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Fire Chief in Santa Ana, CA

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Fire Chief, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
84699
112175
97687

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
103459
131355
117087
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Fire Chief in Santa Ana, CA. The base salary for Fire Chief ranges from $84,699 to $112,175 with the average base salary of $97,687. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $103,459 to $131,355 with the average total cash compensation of $117,087.

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84699
112175

 

About Santa Ana, California    Santa Ana /ˌsæntə ˈænə/ (Spanish for "Saint Anne") is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California in the Los Angeles me....More

Santa Ana, California  area prices were up 2.5% from a year ago

Fire Chief Salary in popular cities: Los AngelesSan DiegoSan Jose

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