Firefighter Salary in Missouri (2026)

Firefighter OT is structural to comp model. MO schedules: 24/48 traditional or modified rotation. Most municipal firefighters work ~2,184-2,496 paid hrs/year before OT. Department-mandatory mandatory-overtime (MOT) and discretionary trade-up overtime stack 350-800 OT hrs/year on top of base — supplemental $20-42K that pushes mid-rank firefighter total comp from $80K base to $105-135K all-in. Holiday pay + EMS shift differentials add another $4-8K. KCFD operates a particularly OT-heavy structure (collective bargaining + minimum staffing).

The 2025 OBBBA law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) created a federal-only deduction on the premium portion of overtime pay for tax years 2025-2028 — up to $12,500 single / $25,000 MFJ. Premium portion equals the half of time-and-a-half. For a KCFD firefighter with 600 OT hrs/year × $36/hr regular rate = $32,400 total OT compensation, the premium half roughly $10,800 — which fully qualifies for OBBBA federal deduction at single filer. Federal savings 22-24% bracket × $10,800 = $2,376-2,592/year federal back.

Missouri has not formally conformed to OBBBA. The OT premium is fully MO 4.95% taxable. KCFD officers who reside outside KC city limits (Lee's Summit, Liberty, Blue Springs, Independence) avoid the 1% KC city earnings tax on their OT comp. KC City-resident KCFD officers pay the 1% on top of MO state. For a Lee's Summit-resident KCFD firefighter: $32,400 OT × 4.95% MO = $1,604 state tax (no city earnings tax). KC City-resident KCFD: same $1,604 + $324 city = $1,928 combined. Net OBBBA benefit at Lee's Summit-resident KCFD comp tier: $2,376-2,592/year federal (offset by ongoing MO state tax of $1,604 = roughly $750-1,000/year true net benefit).

OBBBA phaseout: $100/$1K MAGI over $150K single / $300K MFJ. Most MO firefighters (FF + FF-Paramedic + Lieutenant) at $105-145K total comp stay below the threshold — full OBBBA deduction available. Captains and BCs at $148-175K total comp may hit phaseout — partial deduction. MFJ filers with high-earner spouse most exposed.

Real numbers for a Lee's Summit-resident KCFD FF-Paramedic at $84K base + $32K OT (550 hrs × $52/hr OT rate, premium portion roughly $11,000) + $4K holiday + $5K paramedic cert = $125K total. MO 4.95% × $125K = $6,200/year (no KC city earnings tax since suburban). OBBBA federal deduction $11,000 × 22% = $2,420/year federal back. Compared to MD: $10,000/year MD combined. MO saves $3,800/year vs MD at this tier. Compared to TN (0%): TN saves $6,200/year MO state. The KC + STL Sun Belt suburban infrastructure expansion + LAGERS pension stack mostly compensate for the MO 4.95% rate.

MO LAGERS (Local Government Employees Retirement System) is the dominant late-career lever for many municipal firefighters. LAGERS multi-employer DB pension at standard formulas (1.5-2.5% × years × final-average comp depending on employer election) with full retirement eligibility at age 55 + 10 years' service or any age + 28 years' service. For a Lieutenant retiring at $145K final-average with 28 years LAGERS service at 2.5% formula: $101,500/year pension. KCFD operates its own pension (Police + Fire Pension System of KC) at similar generous formulas. STLFD operates its own pension. Plus 457(b) deferred comp at most MO municipal departments + Backdoor Roth IRA stacks on top.

Most MO firefighters retire in-state — MO's 0% estate + 0% inheritance (since 2005) + LAGERS / municipal pension + 457(b) accumulation + low 0.97% property tax + low overall COL makes MO favorable for firefighter retirement. Pre-distribution relocation to FL / TN / NV is possible at $1.5M+ asset bases (more common at BC asset tier), but MO's structure is less push-toward-relocation than MA / MD / NY. Common in-state retirement: stay in St. Louis County / KC suburbs, or migrate to Lake of the Ozarks (Camden / Miller Counties) for waterfront retirement, or Branson area (Taney County).

MO firefighting clusters across the state. KCFD operates the highest call volume + most diverse fire experience in MO and one of the largest collective bargaining units. STLFD anchors the eastern urban market. Suburban-municipal departments in St. Louis County (Mehlville FPD, Affton FPD, Florissant Valley FPD, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Clayton FPD) operate at competitive comp tiers — many funded via property-tax-based fire protection districts with strong revenue base. Lee's Summit, Liberty, Independence, Blue Springs FDs anchor KC suburbs. Springfield FD anchors southwest MO; Columbia FD anchors central MO (Boone County). MU-FRTI in Columbia provides centralized training; recruit class entry typically requires NFPA Firefighter I/II + EMT-B at minimum, paramedic strongly preferred at KCFD, STLFD, and most suburban departments.

Housing on a firefighter base + OT income tier ($105-135K total): St. Louis County affordable (Affton, Maplewood, Florissant) $250-475K · St. Louis County mid-tier (Kirkwood, Webster Groves) $400-700K · Kansas City suburbs (Lee's Summit, Liberty MO, Independence, Blue Springs) $325-525K · Springfield (Greene) $250-475K · Columbia (Boone) $275-525K · St. Joseph (Buchanan) $200-400K. KCFD or STLFD officers with the higher comp can stretch into St. Louis County premium tier ($550K+ Kirkwood / Webster Groves) or KC premium suburbs (Olathe / Overland Park KS as KS-resident commuter) with spouse income or DROP-accumulated lump sum.

Most MO firefighters retire in-state on LAGERS or KCFD / STLFD municipal pension + 457(b) accumulation. MO's 0% estate + 0% inheritance + 4.95% retirement state structure (with 62+ age exemptions on certain pension types) is materially favorable. Common in-state retirement: stay in St. Louis County / KC suburbs for grandkid proximity, or move to Lake of the Ozarks (Camden / Miller), Branson (Taney), or southern MO Ozarks for retirement lifestyle. Some senior MO firefighters retire to FL / TN for warmer climate, but MO structure doesn't financially push relocation.

Years 0-3 (recruit + probationary FF): $48-68K base + 200-400 OT hrs roughly $58-82K total comp first 2 years. NFPA Firefighter I/II + EMT-B minimum entry; paramedic strongly preferred at KCFD, STLFD, and major suburban departments. MU-FRTI (Columbia) or department-specific recruit academy 14-22 weeks. LAGERS / KCFD / STLFD pension accruing from day 1; 28-year vesting clock for any-age retirement under most plans. Decision point: paramedic dual-cert (adds 6-12 months training, +$5-10K base premium and faster promotion track).

Years 3-15 (FF-Paramedic / Lieutenant): $62-148K base + 400-800 OT hrs roughly $105-160K total comp. Engineer / Driver-Operator promotion at year 5-7 typical (Class B CDL + NFPA 1002). Lieutenant promotion at year 8-12 typical. Captain at year 12-18. Maxing 457(b) at $24,500/year pre-tax + Backdoor Roth IRA $7,500/year is the active-duty stack. OBBBA federal OT deduction $12,500 single / $25,000 MFJ on the OT premium portion. KCFD / STLFD lead MO in mid-rank comp tiers.

Years 15-28+ (Captain / BC / retirement): $115-175K total comp. Captain at KCFD / STLFD / Mehlville FPD / Affton FPD runs $115-148K base + $25-40K OT. BC at KCFD / STLFD / suburban runs $135-165K base + $20-30K OT. Year 28-30 LAGERS / municipal retirement decision: full retirement at 2.5% × years × FAC formula ($115K+ pension at BC tier). Pre-distribution relocation to FL / TN / NV possible at high-asset BC tier; otherwise stay in-state with MO 0% estate + 0% inheritance + LAGERS pension + 62+ age exemptions on certain pension income types.