Public Safety

Firefighter Salary in Delaware (2026)

The average Firefighter in Delaware earns around $80,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $61,909/year ($5,159/month).

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

CategoryAmount
Annual Take-Home Pay
$61,909
Monthly Take-Home Pay
$5,159
Biweekly Take-Home Pay
$2,381
Hourly Take-Home Pay

based on 2,080 hrs/year

$30/hr
Federal Tax
$8,770
State Tax
$3,201
FICA Taxes
$6,120
Effective Tax Rate

total taxes ÷ gross salary

22.61%
Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

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Firefighter Salary Ranges in Delaware

Entry Level (0–3 yrs)

$52,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Mid Level (3–7 yrs)

$80,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Senior Level (7+ yrs)

$135,000

/year

See tax breakdown →

Not all Firefighters earn the same — not even close

Delaware's firefighter market is anchored by DE urban + suburb career fire (Wilmington Fire Department + Newark Fire Department + Dover Fire Department + Middletown Fire + the substantial DE career fire + IAFF Local 1590 Wilmington collective bargaining + the substantial DE volunteer + career hybrid fire service unique structure), DE beach + tourism fire (Lewes Fire + Rehoboth Beach Fire + Dewey Beach + Bethany Beach + the substantial DE coastal fire + post-summer beach tourism), DE federal civilian fire (Dover AFB + 436th Airlift Wing + Dover Port Mortuary + the substantial Dover AFB federal civilian fire), DE ARFF aviation fire (Wilmington Airport ILG + Sussex County Airport GED ARFF), DuPont + Chemours + AstraZeneca industrial fire brigade (the substantial DE chemical + pharma industrial fire), DE State Fire School + the substantial DE volunteer + career firefighter pipeline, plus Delaware State Pension Plan Public Safety + the substantial DE firefighter pension.

Sr Captain / Battalion Chief (Wilmington / Newark / Dover)

$108,000–$172,000+ OT

Sr officer at Wilmington Fire + Newark + Dover + Middletown

Sr Firefighter (Step 10+ / Career)

$78,000–$118,000+ OT

Senior FF at DE career fire · top-of-scale · OT premium + the substantial

Sr Paramedic-Firefighter

$85,000–$132,000+ OT

Dual-cert FF/Paramedic · Wilmington + Newark + Dover + Middletown

Sr Beach / Tourism Fire (Lewes / Rehoboth)

$78,000–$125,000+ OT

DE coastal fire · Lewes + Rehoboth + Dewey + Bethany + post-summer

Sr ARFF (Wilmington Airport ILG / Sussex County GED)

$78,000–$125,000+ OT

Wilmington Airport ILG + Sussex County GED ARFF · DE aviation fire

Sr Federal Firefighter (Dover AFB)

$82,000–$125,000+ OT

Dover AFB + 436th Airlift Wing + Port Mortuary · federal civilian + cleared

Sr Industrial Firefighter (DuPont / Chemours / AstraZeneca)

$88,000–$135,000+ OT

DuPont + Chemours + Corteva + AstraZeneca industrial fire · cleared

Sr Volunteer Captain / Chief

$15,000–$45,000+ stipend

DE volunteer + on-call fire · the substantial DE rural Sussex + Kent

Sr Fire Marshal / Investigator

$92,000–$142,000+ OT

DE State Fire Marshal + Wilmington investigations + arson

New Career Firefighter (Step 1-4)

$55,000–$72,000+ OT

New career FF · DE State Pension Plan Public Safety membership at hire

Worth knowing: Wilmington Fire Department + DE beach + tourism fire (Lewes + Rehoboth + Dewey + Bethany) + Dover AFB cleared federal fire + DE chemical + pharma industrial fire (DuPont + Chemours + AstraZeneca) tetra-anchor is one of the country's distinctive concentrated US single-state urban + coastal tourism + cleared airlift + cleared chemical industrial firefighter cluster and a feature most national firefighter surveys understate for DE. DE urban + suburb career fire (Wilmington Fire Department + Newark Fire + Dover Fire + Middletown Fire + IAFF Local 1590 Wilmington collective bargaining + the substantial DE volunteer + career hybrid fire service unique structure). DE beach + tourism fire (Lewes Fire + Rehoboth Beach Fire + Dewey Beach + Bethany Beach + the substantial DE coastal fire + post-summer beach tourism). DE federal civilian fire (Dover AFB + 436th Airlift Wing + Dover Port Mortuary + the substantial Dover AFB federal civilian fire). DE ARFF aviation fire (Wilmington Airport ILG + Sussex County Airport GED). DuPont + Chemours + Corteva + AstraZeneca industrial fire brigade. DE State Fire School + the substantial DE volunteer + career firefighter pipeline. Delaware State Pension Plan Public Safety pension. The 2025 No Tax on Overtime federal deduction applies through 2028. DE NOT a RTW state + DE progressive top 6.6% anchor the DE firefighter proposition.

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