State comparison · 2025
Firefighters salary: Arizona vs California
Firefighters in California earn a median of $85,120. In Arizona, $59,280. After cost-of-living, the gap is 23.4% — not 30.4%.
Nominal pay gap
-30.4%
Arizona vs California
COL-adjusted gap
-23.4%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
Arizona
Firefighters
- Median
- $59,280
- p25
- $46,750
- p75
- $77,690
- p10
- $36,700
- p90
- $88,220
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 100.7
California
Firefighters
- Median
- $85,120
- p25
- $65,170
- p75
- $109,620
- p10
- $52,390
- p90
- $136,150
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.