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Fire Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Fire Engineer make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Fire Engineer in the United States is $73,993 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

However, a Fire Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $90,855
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $66,909 to $82,819
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $60,459
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Fire Engineer Salaries

A Fire Engineer'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 Fire Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Fire Engineer'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): $71,023
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $71,551
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $72,817
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $75,940
  • Expert (over 8 years): $77,238
Levels Salary
Entry Level Fire Engineer$71,023
Intermediate Level Fire Engineer$71,551
Senior Level Fire Engineer$72,817
Specialist Level Fire Engineer$75,940
Expert Level Fire Engineer$77,238
View as Graph

How Do Fire Engineer 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 Fire Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $81,925.
  • California: $81,614.
  • Massachusetts: $80,527.

Top Paying Cities for Fire Engineers

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: $93,328
  • San Francisco: $92,306
  • Oakland: $90,360

What Skills Can Increase a Fire Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 6.87% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Safety Training (Mentioned in 3.86% Job Postings): Providing learning programs designed to train employees on precautionary processes and procedures to perform their duties safely and effectively.
  • Schematic (Mentioned in 2.32% Job Postings): A schematic, or schematic diagram, is a representation of the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 6.87%
Safety Training 3.86%
Schematic 2.32%
See More Skills

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 a Fire Engineer's salary.

  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
  • Hydraulics: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis $87,312
18%
Consulting $87,312
18%
Hydraulics $85,092
15%
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Fire Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Fire Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Construction and Insurance sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Fire Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Internet typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Fire Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Fire Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Construction$96,191$46.030%
Insurance$92,492$44.025%
Aerospace & Defense$88,792$43.020%
MFG Nondurable$87,312$42.018%
Healthcare$85,092$41.015%

Fire Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Fire Engineer'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 October 01, 2026
$66,909
Average $73,993/year
$82,819
$5,576
Average $6,166/month
$6,902
$1,287
Average $1,423/week
$1,593
$32
Average $36/hour
$40
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $82,819 $6,902 $1,593 $40
Average $73,993 $6,166 $1,423 $36
25th Percentile $66,909 $5,576 $1,287 $32

Most common benefits for Fire Engineer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Fire Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Fire Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Fire Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Fire Engineer?

The Construction industry offers the highest average compensation for Fire Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

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.

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