How much does a Firefighter make in Georgia?

The average Firefighter salary in Georgia is around $58,000 per year. After federal taxes, FICA, and Georgia state taxes, your estimated take-home pay is approximately $46,536 annually ($3,878/month).

What is the take-home pay for a Firefighter in Georgia?

On a $58,000 salary in Georgia, your take-home pay is approximately $46,536/year or $3,878/month. Federal tax: $4,780. State tax: $2,247. FICA: $0.00.

Is $58,000 a good Firefighter salary?

$58,000 is a competitive salary for a Firefighter — near the national median. In Georgia, Tech, film, logistics, and healthcare hub of the Southeast.

How do Georgia taxes affect Firefighter salaries?

Georgia levies state income tax on top of federal taxes. Your estimated state tax on $58,000 is $2,247. Your total effective tax rate is approximately 19.8%.

What are the career growth prospects for Firefighters?

4% growth through 2032 (about as fast as average); EMT/paramedic dual-cert growing faster. Related roles include: Fire Captain, Fire Engineer, Paramedic Firefighter, Battalion Chief, Fire Marshal, HazMat Specialist.

How can a Firefighter in Georgia reduce their tax bill?

Maximize your 401(k) contribution ($24,500 in 2026) to reduce taxable income. An HSA ($4,400 single / $8,750 family) adds further pre-tax savings. These strategies can save thousands annually — use our calculator to see your exact savings.

Public Safety

Firefighter Salary in Georgia (2026)

The average Firefighter in Georgia earns around $58,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $46,536/year ($3,878/month).

Take-Home Pay Breakdown

Category	Amount
Annual Take-Home Pay	$46,536
Monthly Take-Home Pay	$3,878
Biweekly Take-Home Pay	$1,790
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year	$22/hr
Federal Tax	$4,780
State Tax	$2,247
FICA Taxes	$4,437
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary	19.77%

Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

Want to model 401(k), HSA, or pre-tax contributions against your full salary? Open the salary calculator →

Working overtime? The 2025 OBBBA deduction may save you up to $12,500 on federal tax. Open the No Tax on Overtime calculator →

1099 contract work or side gigs? Self-employment tax adds 15.3% on top. Open the 1099 tax calculator →

Key terms:···

Firefighter Salary Ranges in Georgia

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

Georgia firefighter specialties: (1) Atlanta Fire-Rescue Department (AFRD) — 1,100+ sworn FFs serving 500K+ residents across 134 sq miles; (2) DeKalb County Fire Rescue + Cobb County Fire Department + Gwinnett County Fire Department (suburban Cobb / DeKalb / Gwinnett — corporate exec families); (3) Hartsfield-Jackson airport ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) — world's busiest airport drives extraordinary specialty response; (4) Augusta-Richmond County Fire / Macon-Bibb County Fire / Columbus Fire & EMS / Savannah Fire (regional employers); (5) Hyundai Metaplant Bryan County impact — generational coastal GA growth driving sustained fire-rescue district hiring; (6) Georgia Forestry Commission wildland response. Pension structure: most GA municipal FFs participate in Georgia Employees' Retirement System (ERS) Public School Employees' Retirement Plan or equivalent county pension. Atlanta Fire participates in Atlanta-specific city pension. The Georgia Public Safety Officers Pension Plan provides supplemental death benefits + line-of-duty coverage.

AFRD/DeKalb/Cobb/Gwinnett Captain (with OT)

$85,000–$125,000

Base + OT + EMT/paramedic premium

Hartsfield-Jackson ARFF Specialty

$80,000–$120,000

World's busiest airport · ARFF cert

Hyundai Metaplant / Bryan County Coastal

$70,000–$105,000

Generational Savannah coastal growth · 30K ecosystem jobs

Engineer / Paramedic-Firefighter

$65,000–$95,000

Dual cert FF + EMT-P premium

Established FF (5-10 years)

$55,000–$80,000

Base + standard OT · GA median ~$58K

Probationary FF (year 1-2)

$38,000–$52,000

Academy + station rotation

Battalion Chief / Deputy Chief

$110,000–$170,000

Top GA municipal FF tier

Augusta / Macon / Columbus Captain

$70,000–$105,000

Regional municipal · lower COL areas

Savannah Fire Captain

$72,000–$110,000

Coastal · post-Hyundai growth

Worth knowing: GA firefighters operate on 24/48 shift schedules at most municipal departments. The 96-hour off-period side-job tradition is moderate — common side jobs include construction (cheaper GA construction-licensing path than CA), HVAC, real estate, security. GA Employees' Retirement System (ERS) provides defined-benefit pension; specifics vary by city/county plan. Atlanta Fire-Rescue Dept (AFRD) participates in Atlanta-specific city pension. Most Cobb/DeKalb/Gwinnett county FFs have county-specific pension structures. Hartsfield-Jackson airport ARFF is genuinely lucrative GA FF specialty — world's busiest airport drives sustained training + specialty premium.

Georgia firefighter market — AFRD/Cobb/DeKalb, Hartsfield ARFF, Hyundai growth, GA flat-tax phase-down

$12.5K

OBBBA 2025 no-tax-on-overtime federal deduction cap (single, $25K MFJ)

5.19% → 4.99%

GA flat tax phasing down through 2029 (HB 1437) — does NOT conform to OBBBA

$35K-$65K

GA retirement income exclusion 62+ / 65+ — favorable for senior FFs

Atlanta Fire-Rescue Department (AFRD) is the largest GA municipal fire department with 1,100+ sworn FFs serving 500K+ residents. Base captain salary $80K-$110K; with overtime + paramedic premium + acting-supervisor pay, captain total compensation routinely $100K-$135K. AFRD captain comp tier lower than CA/NY/IL peers but with meaningfully lower COL.

The 2025 law (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) created a brand-new federal deduction on the premium portion of overtime pay. For tax years 2025 through 2028, you can deduct up to $12,500/year (single) or $25,000 () of qualifying OT premium from your federal taxable income. What 'premium portion' means: if your hourly is $32, OT pays $48 ($32 × 1.5). Only the extra $16/hour counts toward the deduction — the half, not the whole.

Real numbers for a GA firefighter: an AFRD engineer at $32/hour base, working 75 OT hours a month for 12 months. Premium portion = $32 × 0.5 × 75 × 12 = $14,400. Capped at $12,500 single / $25,000 . Single filer at 22% federal → about $2,750 back; MFJ at 22% → up to $3,170 back. GA does NOT conform to at the state level (the 5.19% flat-tax bite, phasing to 4.99% by 2029, stays put on the full premium). Two catches: only — straight-time and shift differentials probably don't qualify (IRS guidance for FLSA 207(k) departments expected mid-2026); and MAGI phaseout above $150K single / $300K MFJ, fully gone by $275K / $550K. Most GA captains stay well under both.

DeKalb County Fire Rescue + Cobb County Fire Department + Gwinnett County Fire Department serve suburban Cobb/DeKalb/Gwinnett — corporate exec families + post-2020 migration buyer pool. Cobb County captain $85K-$125K + OT $115K-$155K total. Gwinnett similar.

Hartsfield-Jackson airport ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) at the world's busiest airport is genuinely lucrative GA FF specialty. Atlanta Department of Aviation operates the airport's ARFF — captain $90K-$130K + structural OT + airport-specific specialty premium. World-class corporate fleet density (Delta + UPS + Coca-Cola corporate aircraft).

Hyundai Metaplant in Bryan County (between Savannah and Pooler) — $5.5B investment, 8,500 direct manufacturing jobs at peak, 30,000+ total supplier ecosystem jobs by 2028. Driving sustained Bryan County + Pooler + Effingham County fire-rescue district hiring + tax-base growth.

GA flat 5.19% state income tax (2026, phasing to 4.99% by 2029 per HB 1437) is moderate — lower than CA/NY/MA, higher than TN/FL/TX (with their 0%). GA retirement income exclusion ($35K excluded for filers 62-64; $65K excluded for filers 65+) is favorable for senior FF retirement planning. A senior GA FF retiring at 65+ with $80K/year pension pays GA tax on only $15K — meaningful.

GA property tax 1.0-1.4% effective is moderate. Lower than IL Cook County (2.1%), NY Long Island (2.0-2.5%), TX (2.0-2.5%); higher than NC (0.78%), CO (0.51%). On a $300K Atlanta-suburbs FF home: $3K-$4.2K/year property tax.

Georgia for firefighters — Atlanta corporate luxury, Hyundai coastal, retirement-favorable phase-down

GA firefighters cluster in Atlanta metro (AFRD + Cobb + DeKalb + Gwinnett — 70%+ of GA FF transactions), Augusta (Augusta-Richmond County Fire + Masters tournament + medical), Savannah (post-Hyundai growth + Savannah Fire + Bryan County), Macon (Macon-Bibb), Columbus (Columbus Fire & EMS + Fort Benning military-adjacent).

Atlanta FF lifestyle profile: workforce housing in East Atlanta / Decatur / Stone Mountain / Tucker / Riverdale / Jonesboro ($250K-$400K modest homes feasible). Cobb County FFs in Marietta / Smyrna / Powder Springs ($300K-$450K). Gwinnett FFs in Lawrenceville / Suwanee / Lilburn ($300K-$450K). Hartsfield-Jackson ARFF FFs in College Park / Hapeville / Forest Park ($200K-$300K).

Most GA FFs are with employer-sponsored Georgia ERS or city/county-specific pension, deferred comp, health insurance. The 24/48 shift + 96-hour off-period side-job tradition real but moderate (construction, HVAC, real estate, security).

Tax structure: working years moderate GA 5.19% (phasing to 4.99% by 2029). Retirement years favorable GA retirement income exclusion. Combined with moderate property tax + lower COL than coastal CA/NY/MA peers, GA FF career-plus-retirement math is reasonable.

How Georgia taxes work for firefighters (and how to keep more)

GA flat 5.19% state income tax (2026, phasing to 4.99% by 2029). A $65K GA FF base wage: federal $5.5K + $5K + GA state $3.4K = ~$13.9K total. Take-home ~$51K. At $115K Cobb captain with OT: federal $14K + FICA $7.7K + GA state $6K = ~$27.7K total. Take-home ~$87.3K.

GA retirement income exclusion: $35K excluded for filers 62-64; $65K excluded for filers 65+. For senior FFs nearing retirement, this is valuable — 65+ retiree with $80K of retirement income pays GA tax on only $15K. The late-career advantage is meaningful.

GA property tax 1.0-1.4% effective. On a $300K Atlanta-suburbs FF home: $3K-$4.2K/year. Lower than IL Cook County or NY Long Island.

Georgia ERS / city / county pension — defined-benefit structure varies. Atlanta Fire-Rescue Dept participates in Atlanta-specific city pension. Most Cobb/DeKalb/Gwinnett FFs have county-specific structures. Generally 50-60% FAS at 25-30 years.

Deferred Compensation Plan offered at most GA municipal departments. $24,500 limit. Pre-tax federal AND GA state — at $115K Cobb captain marginal rate, every $1,000 deferred saves ~$240 federal + $52 GA = $292/year. Maxing limit saves $6,900/year.

special catch-up: 3 years before normal retirement, contribute up to $47K. $141K window in final 3 years.

Path2College 529 deduction $4K single / $8K — saves up to $208/$416/year in GA tax.

Side-income Solo — GA FFs running side businesses shelter $35K-$72K/year on top of .

→Max your Deferred Comp Plan — at $115K Cobb captain marginal rate, every $1,000 deferred saves $292+ in current taxes.
→Use special catch-up in final 3 years before retirement — shelter $47K/year × 3 = $141K window.
→GA retirement income exclusion: at 62, $35K excluded; at 65, $65K excluded. Time Roth conversions / IRA withdrawals to take advantage.
→Path2College 529 — $4K/$8K deduction. Modest but worth filing if you have kids.
→Property tax appeal — Fulton / DeKalb / Cobb / Gwinnett counties have appeal processes. Saves $300-$1,500/year on $300K-$500K FF-tier homes.
→Homestead exemption + age 65+ school tax exemption (Cobb, Fulton-City of Atlanta) — worth filing.
→Hyundai Metaplant area opportunity — sustained 5-10 year demand pipeline for Bryan / Effingham county fire-rescue district FFs.
→Side-income Solo — GA FFs running side businesses (construction, HVAC, real estate, security) shelter $35K-$72K/year on top of .
→Workers' comp + line-of-duty injury — GA Public Safety Officers Pension Plan provides supplemental death benefits + line-of-duty coverage.

Three GA submarkets for firefighters — what each one looks like

Atlanta Fire-Rescue urban + airport, Cobb/DeKalb/Gwinnett suburban, and Hyundai Metaplant coastal growth are three different GA FF careers.

Atlanta Fire-Rescue Department (AFRD)

Base $60K-$110K + OT · captain total $100K-$135K

1,100+ sworn FFs. Urban + Hartsfield-Jackson airport ARFF (separate Atlanta Aviation Dept). Workforce housing in East Atlanta / Decatur / Stone Mountain / Tucker / Riverdale / Jonesboro.

AFRD comp tier lower than CA/NY/IL peers but with meaningfully lower COL. Atlanta post-2020 corporate relocation depth (Microsoft / Google / Norfolk Southern / Delta / UPS / Coca-Cola / Home Depot HQs) drives sustained tax-base growth funding municipal hiring.

Cobb / DeKalb / Gwinnett County (Suburban)

Base $65K-$120K + OT · captain total $115K-$155K

DeKalb County Fire Rescue + Cobb County Fire Department + Gwinnett County Fire Department. Suburban corporate exec families + post-2020 migration buyer pool. Workforce housing in Marietta / Smyrna / Lawrenceville / Suwanee.

Cobb / Gwinnett property tax slightly lower than DeKalb (school-district specific). Suburban county FFs serve wealthier demographic with lower call volume than AFRD.

Bryan County / Hyundai Metaplant (Coastal Growth)

Base $55K-$95K + OT · captain total $80K-$115K

Hyundai Metaplant ($5.5B investment, 30K total ecosystem jobs by 2028). Pooler / Bloomingdale / Bryan County workforce housing $300K-$450K. Bryan County Fire-Rescue + Pooler Fire + Effingham County Fire growing rapidly with population.

Generational coastal GA growth event. Real homeowner economics on FF income. Hurricane risk Atlantic coast adds insurance cost ($5K-$15K/year). FF career path establishing during boom.

The career arc — from probationary FF to Battalion Chief, GA retirement income exclusion

Year 1-2 (probationary): $38K-$52K. Atlanta Tech College, Gwinnett Tech, Chattahoochee Tech, Lanier Tech firefighter programs. EMT-Basic at hire.

Year 3-7 (FF / FF-Paramedic): $52K-$80K base + OT. Engineer + Paramedic dual-cert add wage premium.

Year 8-15 (Captain): $80K-$120K base + OT total $100K-$140K. Captain promotion exam.

Year 15-25 (Battalion Chief / Deputy Chief): $115K-$170K base + OT $145K-$200K. Top GA municipal FF tier. Pension projection at 25-30 year retirement varies by city/county plan — generally 50-60% FAS.

Retirement (age 50-65 with 25-30 year service): Lifetime city/county pension + IRA-rollover + side-business equity. GA retirement income exclusion at 62+ ($35K) and 65+ ($65K) provides meaningful late-career tax advantage. Most GA FFs retire in-state — phase-down 4.99% by 2029 + retirement exclusion + lower COL than coastal peers makes GA favorable retirement.

Where Georgia firefighters actually live

AFRD FFs in East Atlanta / Decatur / Stone Mountain / Tucker / Riverdale / Jonesboro ($250K-$400K). Cobb FFs in Marietta / Smyrna ($300K-$450K). Gwinnett FFs in Lawrenceville / Suwanee / Lilburn ($300K-$450K). Hartsfield ARFF FFs in College Park / Hapeville / Forest Park ($200K-$300K). Bryan County FFs in Pooler / Bloomingdale ($300K-$450K).

Decatur / Stone Mountain (East Atlanta)

AFRD workforce housing · $250K-$400K · I-285 corridor

Riverdale / Jonesboro (South Atlanta)

Hartsfield-Jackson adjacent · $200K-$300K

Marietta / Smyrna (Cobb)

Cobb County FF · $300K-$450K

Lawrenceville / Suwanee (Gwinnett)

Gwinnett FF · $300K-$450K · top family schools

Pooler / Bryan County (Savannah Coastal)

Hyundai Metaplant adjacent · $300K-$450K · growth market

Augusta / Aiken SC border

Augusta-Richmond County · $200K-$350K

GA flat 5.19% phasing to 4.99% by 2029 + retirement income exclusion + moderate property tax + lower COL than coastal peers + Hyundai Metaplant growth = favorable GA FF career-plus-retirement.

Is this the right move?

Georgia for firefighters — Atlanta corporate, Cobb/Gwinnett suburban, Hyundai growth, retirement-favorable phase-down

Working in your favor

+GA flat 5.19% phasing to 4.99% by 2029 — most aggressive flat-tax phase-down in country
+GA retirement income exclusion $35K (62+) / $65K (65+) — favorable for senior FFs
+Atlanta corporate relocation depth (Microsoft/Google/Norfolk Southern/Delta/UPS/Coca-Cola/Home Depot)
+Hyundai Metaplant Savannah generational coastal GA boom
+Hartsfield-Jackson world's busiest airport ARFF specialty premium
+Property tax 1.0-1.4% — moderate, favorable to homeowner FFs
+Lower cost of living than coastal CA/NY/MA peers

Worth knowing before you sign

−AFRD comp tier lower than CA/NY/IL peers
−Less luxury market depth than CA/NY top tier (no Beverly Hills equivalent in GA WUI risk)
−Atlanta market correlates with corporate-relocation cycles
−Atlanta traffic / sprawl realities
−Climate (heat, humidity) affects shift conditions May-September
−Hurricane risk Atlantic coast (affecting Savannah)
−Probationary year 1-2 grind real — same dynamics