California · 2026 pay · 349 people
How much does a fire chief make in California?
$193,508typical pay for a fire chief in 2026
$106,160 – $280,879what most people earned
Includes everyone paid during 2026, including part-year workers. Each employer counts with its latest published year (2025 or 2026). Typical pay fell 0.8% from the same employers' year before.
✓ Official data from 5 agencies · Matches each agency's latest release · Show sourcesHide sources
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- City of Richmond · ci.richmond.ca.us ↗
Where fire chiefs work
Typical pay at each employer, 2026 (everyone paid).
- Department of Developmental Services3 people$77,761
- City of Manteca3 people$193,834
- Department of State Hospitals3 people$92,076
- City of Monterey Park2 people$138,965
- City of Manhattan Beach2 people$102,948
- Sutter Basin Fire Protection District2 people$7,623
- City of Kingsburg2 people$81,861
- City of Roseville2 people$156,475
- Morongo Valley Community Services District2 people$22,150
- Lake Valley Fire Protection District2 people$117,818
- North Central Fire Protection District2 people$102,416
- City of Weed2 people$80,260
- City of Sacramento2 people$182,334
- City of Palo Alto2 people$419,810
- City of Modesto2 people$283,133
- City of Bakersfield2 people$184,622
- City of Sonora2 people$129,536
- City of Davis2 people$304,905
- Fallen Leaf Lake Community Services District2 people$157,109
- Big Bear Fire Authority2 people$247,840
- City of Huntington Beach2 people$215,870
- City of La Habra Heights2 people$106,490
- Orange County Fire Authority2 people$195,168
- City of Brea2 people$198,866
- City of Chico2 people$105,214
- City of Glendale2 people$210,168
- City of Reedley2 people$77,827
- City of Yuba City2 people$184,219
- Sonoma County Fire District2 people$216,084
- Mountain Gate Community Services District2 people$20,261
- City of Watsonville2 people$257,250
- Novato Fire Protection District2 people$202,428
- City of Calexico2 people$107,876
- Santa Barbara County2 people$321,963
- Brooktrails Township Community Services District2 people$65,139
- City of Seaside2 people$141,612
- City of Montclair2 people$137,716
- San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department2 people$193,067
- City of Fountain Valley2 people$280,041
- Northshore Fire Protection District2 people$281,238
- Chino Valley Independent Fire District1 person$445,183
- Peninsula Fire Protection District1 person$138,000
- City of National City1 person$416,274
- City of Newport Beach1 person$316,329
- Cloverdale Fire Protection District1 person$100,447
- City of Dixon1 person$206,986
- City of Rio Vista1 person$145,285
- City of La Verne1 person$251,882
- City of Riverside1 person$335,219
- City of Auburn1 person$194,419
- City of Fresno1 person$268,887
- Lakeport Fire Protection District1 person$127,407
- Hopland Fire Protection District1 person$133,659
- City of Hayward1 person$392,365
- City of Downey1 person$267,645
- Shasta Fire Protection District1 person$63,871
- City of Long Beach1 person$315,094
- City of Vallejo1 person$336,231
- City of Escondido1 person$280,627
- Inverness Public Utility District1 person$128,700
- Sonoma Valley Fire District1 person$291,690
- City of Hemet1 person$198,461
- Zayante Fire Protection District1 person$57,918
- City of Morro Bay1 person$212,284
- City of Crescent City1 person$197,331
- City of San Buenaventura1 person$446,309
- Boulder Creek Fire Protection District1 person$177,351
- Anderson Valley Community Services District1 person$184,912
- Bolinas Fire Protection District1 person$185,379
- City of Montebello1 person$349,697
- City of Rancho Cucamonga1 person$337,453
- Bridgeport Fire Protection District1 person$19,200
- City of Petaluma1 person$276,042
- San Miguel Community Services District1 person$117,201
- Madison Fire Protection District1 person$88,884
- City of Lodi1 person$234,417
- Westwood Community Services District1 person$77,856
- City of Ione1 person$25,000
- Redwood Valley - Calpella Fire District1 person$12,778
- City of Torrance1 person$341,458
- Esparto Fire Protection District1 person$100,846
- Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District1 person$345,778
- Linden-Peters Fire Protection District1 person$193,193
- City of Red Bluff1 person$173,043
- City of El Segundo1 person$253,853
- Willow Creek Fire Protection District1 person$69,000
- City of Atascadero1 person$241,043
- City of Suisun City1 person$199,839
- City of Colusa1 person$149,155
- City of Corona1 person$307,419
- City of Jackson1 person$115,995
- Olympic Valley Public Service District1 person$198,179
- City of Dorris1 person$630
- City of San Luis Obispo1 person$260,693
- City of Westmorland1 person$7,200
- Carpinteria - Summerland Fire Protection District1 person$339,130
- East Bay Regional Park District1 person$18,288
- Cosumnes Community Services District1 person$395,131
- City of Greenfield1 person$51,830
- Walnut Grove Fire Protection District1 person$16,718
- Northstar Community Services District1 person$207,367
- Tulelake Multi-County Fire Protection District1 person$4,800
- Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District1 person$201,048
- City of Culver City1 person$519,888
- City of Redlands1 person$341,910
- City of Orland1 person$127,720
- City of South Pasadena1 person$228,156
- City of Arcadia1 person$325,255
- City of South Lake Tahoe1 person$236,959
- Castella Fire Protection District1 person$6,000
- Cottonwood Fire Protection District1 person$128,692
- Penn Valley Fire Protection District1 person$154,453
- Lake County Fire Protection District1 person$185,141
- Montezuma Fire Protection District (Solano)1 person$94,384
- City of Brawley1 person$125,114
- Scotts Valley Fire Protection District1 person$278,584
- City of Healdsburg1 person$263,038
- Woodlake Fire Protection District1 person$106,160
- Suisun Fire Protection District1 person$109,784
- Long Valley Fire Protection District (Mono)1 person$42,250
- Central Calaveras Fire and Rescue Protection District1 person$40,490
- City of Avalon1 person$192,236
- City of Yreka1 person$132,839
- Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District1 person$115,272
- City of Santa Fe Springs1 person$326,018
- City of Albany1 person$310,784
- Tulare County1 person$196,352
- City of Daly City1 person$423,996
- City of Bishop1 person$141,076
- Quincy Fire Protection District1 person$72,800
- Humboldt Bay Fire1 person$204,750
- Schell-Vista Fire Protection District1 person$81,900
- City of Farmersville1 person$127,405
- City of Burbank1 person$412,791
- City of Chula Vista1 person$373,453
- Georgetown Fire Protection District1 person$172,680
- City of Loma Linda1 person$489,304
- City of Montague1 person$9,600
- Alameda County1 person$333,422
- Richmond1 person$341,554
- City of Hanford1 person$200,815
- South San Joaquin County Fire Authority1 person$309,330
- Ferndale Fire Protection District1 person$7,106
- City of Grass Valley1 person$235,303
- Wilton Fire Protection District1 person$36,018
- Truckee Fire Protection District1 person$266,642
- City of Mountain View1 person$432,676
- City of Hollister1 person$207,355
- City of Folsom1 person$292,192
- City of Alhambra1 person$296,378
- City of Gilroy1 person$125,890
- City of Alameda1 person$366,129
- Hughson Fire Protection District1 person$107,691
- City of Monterey1 person$262,775
- Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Protection District1 person$259,020
- Ben Lomond Fire Protection District1 person$109,136
- City of West Sacramento1 person$281,266
- Fortuna Fire Protection District1 person$122,404
- City of Patterson1 person$193,508
- Yolo Fire Protection District1 person$9,838
- City of La Mesa1 person$255,240
- Fort Bragg Fire Protection Authority1 person$121,065
- Idyllwild Fire Protection District1 person$437,179
- City of Merced1 person$181,263
- North County Fire Protection District (San Diego)1 person$303,571
- City of Coalinga1 person$152,397
- McCloud Community Services District1 person$8,654
- Kentfield Fire Protection District1 person$261,213
- City of San Marino1 person$266,955
- City of San Rafael1 person$312,580
- Amador County1 person$149,841
- Albion-Little River Fire Protection1 person$111,802
- Murphys Fire Protection District1 person$180,274
- City of Redondo Beach1 person$349,746
- City of Calimesa1 person$162,774
- City of Barstow1 person$252,862
- City of Selma1 person$201,135
- Waterloo-Morada Fire Protection District1 person$159,286
- Running Springs Water District1 person$181,493
- Susan River Fire Protection District1 person$20,100
- Military Department (California National Guard)1 person$92,733
- Little Lake Fire Protection District1 person$136,318
- Clarksburg Fire Protection District1 person$6,000
- City of San Gabriel1 person$249,923
- Lake Shastina Community Services District1 person$77,617
- Resort Improvement District No. 11 person$150,627
- City of Piedmont1 person$271,885
- City of Pasadena1 person$419,681
- Diamond Springs/El Dorado Fire Protection District1 person$194,413
- Fieldbrook Glendale Community Services District1 person$599
- San Andreas Fire Protection District1 person$81,250
- City of Colton1 person$336,661
- Garden Valley Fire Protection District1 person$215,078
- City of Rocklin1 person$255,192
- City of Benicia1 person$331,705
- Happy Camp Fire Protection District1 person$2,400
- City of Vacaville1 person$302,428
- City of Alturas1 person$1,500
- City of Fullerton1 person$267,124
- Central County Fire Department1 person$399,408
- City of Canyon Lake1 person$160,093
- Montecito Fire Protection District1 person$443,272
- Five Cities Fire Authority1 person$210,842
- Menlo Park Fire Protection District1 person$482,899
- City of Corning1 person$133,367
- Santa Clara County1 person$382,428
- Peardale-Chicago Park Fire Protection District1 person$106,926
- Twain Harte Community Services District1 person$171,825
- City of Mt. Shasta1 person$114,049
- Kelseyville Fire Protection District1 person$163,808
- Lakeside Fire Protection District1 person$273,190
- Williams Fire Protection Authority1 person$141,855
- Copperopolis Fire Protection District1 person$142,996
- City of Oceanside1 person$307,263
- Janesville Fire Protection District1 person$23,888
- Alpine Fire Protection District1 person$232,353
- City of San Diego1 person$364,593
- Meridian Fire Protection District1 person$164,076
- City of Redding1 person$247,252
- City of Isleton1 person$6,991
- South Coast Fire Protection District1 person$136,013
- Colma Fire Protection District1 person$38,520
- City of Fort Jones1 person$148,195
- Woodbridge Fire Protection District1 person$167,776
- City of Winters1 person$202,042
- Valley Center Fire Protection District1 person$144,017
- City of Angels1 person$122,097
- City of Milpitas1 person$430,523
- El Dorado Hills County Water District1 person$367,255
- Rio Dell Fire Protection District1 person$21,628
- City of Laguna Beach1 person$280,676
- North County Fire Protection District (Monterey)1 person$221,339
- City of Gonzales1 person$169,795
- Moraga/Orinda Fire Protection District1 person$286,439
- Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District1 person$363,301
- Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District1 person$329,151
- City of Placentia1 person$244,574
- Ripon Consolidated Fire Protection District1 person$162,232
- Chalfant Valley Fire Department1 person$7,023
- Sutter Creek Fire Protection District1 person$101,646
- Capay Valley Fire Protection District1 person$76,873
- Millville Fire Protection District1 person$5,288
- Templeton Community Services District1 person$161,515
- Woodside Fire Protection District1 person$494,377
- Thornton Fire Protection District1 person$121,589
- City of Tulare1 person$199,103
- City of Willows1 person$190,248
- City of Palm Springs1 person$324,090
- City of Sanger1 person$164,922
- City of Coronado1 person$235,986
- San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District1 person$305,990
- Denair Fire Protection District1 person$18,000
- City of Compton1 person$193,367
- City of Clovis1 person$280,879
- City of Marina1 person$250,996
- City of Anaheim1 person$522,668
- El Dorado County Fire Protection District1 person$242,750
- City of El Cerrito1 person$281,069
- City of Santa Clara1 person$442,736
- Escalon Consolidated Fire Protection District1 person$135,949
- City of Sierra Madre1 person$167,036
- City of Los Banos1 person$212,017
- City of Carlsbad1 person$283,276
- City of Nevada City1 person$97,905
- City of Ontario1 person$454,442
- North Tahoe Fire Protection District1 person$316,706
- City of Vista1 person$266,988
- Olivehurst Public Utility District1 person$129,170
- City of Fillmore1 person$211,615
- French Camp-McKinley Fire Protection District1 person$204,149
- City of Victorville1 person$183,886
- City of Calistoga1 person$268,411
- City of Poway1 person$247,465
- City of West Covina1 person$118,918
- City of Beverly Hills1 person$430,389
- Placer Hills Fire Protection District1 person$194,280
- Knights Landing Fire Protection District1 person$8,135
- Apple Valley Fire Protection District1 person$234,550
- City of Lincoln1 person$208,442
- City of San Bruno1 person$284,171
- Fort Dick Fire Protection District1 person$52,560
- City of Fairfield1 person$397,958
- Mojave Air and Space Port1 person$4,200
- City of Dinuba1 person$153,331
- Ebbetts Pass Fire Protection District1 person$157,844
- City of Encinitas1 person$285,793
- City of Orange1 person$339,589
- City of Porterville1 person$205,571
- Lathrop-Manteca Fire Protection District1 person$247,562
- Foresthill Fire Protection District1 person$114,570
- City of Salinas1 person$283,980
- South Placer Fire Protection District1 person$281,481
- City of Monrovia1 person$271,282
- Mosquito Fire Protection District1 person$81,053
- Anderson Fire Protection District1 person$123,442
- City of Oxnard1 person$333,300
- Happy Valley Fire Protection District1 person$78,760
- River Delta Fire District1 person$12,000
- City of Visalia1 person$237,806
- Central Marin Fire Authority1 person$274,029
- City of Costa Mesa1 person$370,797
- Blue Lake Fire Protection District1 person$65,003
- Shasta Lake Fire Protection District1 person$94,857
- City of Fremont1 person$368,536
- Willow Oak Fire Protection District1 person$96,812
- Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County1 person$348,861
No employers match.
Related jobs and the next step up
Same line of work at a different rank, by typical pay (full-year employees where we can tell).
- Fire Intern$8,675 (everyone)
- Fire Recruit$16,030 (everyone)
- Fire Chief (this page)$193,508 (everyone)
- Assistant Fire Chief$250,243 (everyone)
- Deputy Fire Chief$268,546 (everyone)
- Fire Deputy Chief$293,783 (everyone)
- Fire Assistant Chief$422,034 (everyone)
Highest-paid fire chiefs, 2026
- 1Aaron OsorioFire Chief · Richmond$341,554
Common questions
How much does a fire chief make in California?
The typical fire chief was paid $193,508 in 2026; most earned between $106,160 and $280,879. This counts all 349 people paid, including part-year workers.
How much of the pay is overtime?
Overtime made up 2.6% of all pay for fire chiefs in 2026.
Which job titles are included?
Everyone whose payroll title is Fire Chief, at any level (for example "Fire Chief"). Part-time-schedule titles (such as "20 hours") are left out. Senior, supervising and trainee titles have their own pages.
Job titles are written out in full from the payroll's abbreviations (for example "SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR" → "Senior Correctional Police Officer"). "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this