Average Fire Fighter Salary in Canada for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Fire Fighter salary for 2024 in Canada and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the Canadian dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the CAD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Fire Fighter Make in Canada?

A Fire Fighter working in Canada will typically earn around 65,900 CAD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 28,900 CAD to the highest average salary of 105,200 CAD.

Average Annual Salary
65,900 CAD
Average Monthly Salary
5,491 CAD

Lowest Annual Salary
28,900 CAD
Lowest Monthly Salary
2,408 CAD

Highest Annual Salary
105,200 CAD
Highest Monthly Salary
8,766 CAD

These are average salaries for a Fire Fighter in Canada and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Fire Fighter to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Fire Fighter salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Fire Fighter Salaries in Canada

So we've looked at the average salaries a Fire Fighter will earn in Canada. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Fire Fighter can earn between 28,900 CAD and 105,200 CAD on average in Canada. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Fire Fighter in Canada is 72,400 CAD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 72,400 CAD, and 50% of the population earn more than 72,400 CAD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Fire Fighter salary in Canada, 25% of the population are earning less than 45,200 CAD while 75% of the population earn more than 45,200 CAD.

75% of the population earn less than 94,500 CAD, and 25% of the population earn more than 94,500 CAD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Fire Fighter Salary by Experience Level in Canada

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average fire fighter salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Fire Fighter in Canada that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 34,000 CAD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Fire Fighter salary would increase to 45,600 CAD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Fire Fighter, the average salary would be 66,200 CAD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 83,800 CAD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Fire Fighter with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 91,700 CAD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Fire Fighter with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 97,100 CAD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
34,000 CAD
2-5 Years +34%
45,600 CAD
5-10 Years +48%
66,200 CAD
10-15 Years +22%
83,800 CAD
15-20 Years +9%
91,700 CAD
20+ Years +8%
97,100 CAD

Fire Fighter Salary by Education Level in Canada

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Fire Fighter in Canada based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Fire Fighter in Canada with a high school education can earn an average salary of 39,600 CAD.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Fire Fighter in Canada with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 63,200 CAD.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Fire Fighter in Canada with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 102,700 CAD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
39,600 CAD
Certificate or Diploma +57%
63,200 CAD
Bachelor's Degree +68%
102,700 CAD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in Canada is around 49,800 to 149,000 CAD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Fire Fighter Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In Canada, a male fire fighter will earn an average of 66,200 CAD, while a female fire fighter will earn around 65,200 CAD.

This means that a male fire fighter earns approximately 2% more than a female fire fighter for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in Canada

Male
66,200 CAD
Female -2%
65,200 CAD

Fire Fighter Average Pay Raise in Canada

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Fire Fighter in Canada is around 9% every 17 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in Canada is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 9 ÷ 17 ) × 12  = 6%

What this means is that a Fire Fighter in Canada can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 6% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in Canada for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in Canada.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
2%
Energy
4%
Information Technology
6%
Healthcare
8%
Travel
1%
Construction
3%
Education
5%

Fire Fighter Bonus and Incentive Rates in Canada

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Fire Fighter is a low bonus based job, with 35% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

65% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4%.

Received Bonus
35%
No Bonus
65%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in Canada earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
123,000 CAD
Private Sector -6%
115,600 CAD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Fire Fighter

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Fire Fighter in Canada.

Job Title Category Salary
Accreditation Coordinator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 98,300 CAD
Accreditation Manager Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 147,900 CAD
Advocate Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 90,900 CAD
Armed Security Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 82,200 CAD
Company Guard Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 45,100 CAD
Control Room Operator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 39,400 CAD
Correctional Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 69,200 CAD
Criminal Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 134,700 CAD
Facility Monitor Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 72,700 CAD
Fire Chief Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 134,700 CAD
Fire Dispatcher Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 61,500 CAD
Fire Education Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 111,700 CAD
Fire Extinguisher Technician Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 42,400 CAD
Fire Inspector Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 124,500 CAD
Fire Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 128,200 CAD
Fire Prevention Engineer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 112,700 CAD
Fire Prevention Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 89,200 CAD
Fire Protection Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 111,700 CAD
Forensic Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 123,000 CAD
Forensic Science Technician Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 118,900 CAD
Fraud and Forensic Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 127,700 CAD
Fraud Examiner Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 134,100 CAD
Grants Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 150,100 CAD
Intellectual Property Associate Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 111,700 CAD
Intelligence Research Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 192,600 CAD
Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 125,400 CAD
Jail Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 54,700 CAD
Juvenile Probation Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 91,700 CAD
Juvenile Supervision Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 95,300 CAD
Lock-Smith Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 36,400 CAD
Parole Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 65,200 CAD
Police Captain Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 156,200 CAD
Police Communications Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 86,100 CAD
Police Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 73,200 CAD
Police Patrol Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 66,200 CAD
Prison Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 51,800 CAD
Prisoner Custody Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 47,400 CAD
Private Detective / Investigator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 134,100 CAD
Security Adviser Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 127,600 CAD
Security Guard Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 34,000 CAD
Security Management Specialist Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 189,800 CAD
Security Manager Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 177,200 CAD
Security Officer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 44,300 CAD
Security Supervisor Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 101,100 CAD
Security Systems Installer Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 97,200 CAD
Security Technician Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 40,300 CAD
Surveillance Operator Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 48,000 CAD
Traffic Controller Law Enforcement / Security / Fire 72,700 CAD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in Canada, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Brampton 69,200 CAD
Calgary 77,000 CAD
Edmonton 75,000 CAD
Gatineau 63,900 CAD
Halifax 62,300 CAD
Hamilton 71,400 CAD
Kitchener 66,100 CAD
Markham 69,700 CAD
Mississauga 66,400 CAD
Montreal 73,700 CAD
Ottawa 68,100 CAD
Quebec 68,800 CAD
Regina 63,500 CAD
Richmond 58,000 CAD
Saskatoon 61,400 CAD
Surrey 65,800 CAD
Toronto 71,400 CAD
Vancouver 72,700 CAD
Vaughan 66,100 CAD
Windsor 65,100 CAD
Winnipeg 71,800 CAD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in Canada.

City Average Salary
Alberta 72,700 CAD
British Columbia 72,400 CAD
Manitoba 68,500 CAD
New Brunswick 60,800 CAD
Newfoundland-Labrador 60,200 CAD
Northwest Territories 66,900 CAD
Nova Scotia 68,100 CAD
Nunavut 77,000 CAD
Ontario 81,000 CAD
Prince Edward Island 63,100 CAD
Quebec 79,000 CAD
Saskatchewan 68,900 CAD
Yukon 61,500 CAD

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