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Firefighter salary NSW: How it compares to the national full-time average

The exact salary for NSW firefighters is not published in a single source, but the federal award minimum for a qualified firefighter is about $83,614 a year, well below the national average; senior ranks and the recent 14% increase may lift pay closer to or above the line.

This is the New South Wales full-time average. It sits $1,306 over the Australian full-time average, about 1.2% above the line.

Week, hour, and a tax sketch

$2,109 a week · $55.49 an hour if spread over 38 hours

About $84,047 after resident income tax and a 2% Medicare levy.

2026–27 resident rates and a 2% Medicare levy. Not a tax assessment.Open the full line

Firefighter salary NSW: Where it stands against the national average

When you compare any occupation’s pay to the national full‑time average, the question is always the same: **$2,083.70 a week, about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). That is the line the site draws. For a New South Wales firefighter, the answer depends on rank, allowances and the recent 14% wage increase awarded by the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW.

The award minimums from the Fire Fighting Industry Award

The Fair Work Fire Fighting Industry Award (effective July 2026) sets the base rates for public sector firefighters. These are the legal floor, not necessarily what every firefighter takes home. For a full‑time qualified firefighter the weekly rate is $1,607.97 (including shift loading and average 40‑hours loading), or about $83,614 a year. That is well below the national average. Even a leading firefighter at $1,839.88 a week (~$95,674 a year) sits under the line. Only at station officer level ($1,994.48 a week, ~$103,713) does the base approach the average, and senior station officer ($2,148.65 a week, ~$111,730) crosses it.

These are minimums. Actual NSW firefighters are covered by a state award that the IRC recently varied. The New South Wales Government announced a 14% increase over three years, backdated to February 2024: 4% from February 2024, 4% from February 2025, 3% from February 2026, plus an extra 3% from 2026 for road crash rescue competency. That means the real salaries for NSW firefighters are higher than the federal award rates, though the exact post‑determination dollar figures have not been published in a single source.

How the national average is set

The ABS calculates the full‑time adult ordinary‑time average from its twice‑yearly Average Weekly Earnings survey. The May 2026 figure of $2,083.70 a week is the benchmark. Men’s average is $2,181.00 a week ($113,412 a year); women’s is $1,934.50 ($100,594). The all‑employees median (including part‑time) is about $74,100 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, $52,255 a year on 38 hours.

What moves a firefighter’s pay above or below the line

Below the line: The base award rate for a recruit or firefighter level 1 is only $1,005.10 a week (~$52,265 a year), barely above the minimum wage. Even a qualified firefighter’s base is $1,607.97 a week, about $24,738 below the national average. Without shift penalties or overtime, most classifications stay under the line.

Above the line: Shift loading adds a significant amount. For a qualified firefighter the shift loading alone is $335.73 a week, and the average 40‑hours loading adds $153.14. Overtime at double time (for shiftworkers) or time‑and‑a‑half (day workers) can push earnings higher. Senior ranks like station officer and senior station officer already have base rates above the national average, and with allowances they can exceed it comfortably.

The recent NSW determination also lifts pay. The 14% cumulative increase means a firefighter who was on the old award rate now earns more, though the exact new rate depends on the classification and when the increases were applied. The IRC also mandated the road crash rescue competency payment, which adds 3% to all firefighters from 2026.

Comparing to the state average

New South Wales has its own full‑time average of about $109,658 a year, slightly above the national figure. A NSW firefighter earning near the state average would be at the line, but most base rates are below that. Only senior station officer and fire service communications controller ($2,148.65 a week) exceed the state average on base pay alone.

The takeaway

A NSW firefighter’s salary is not a single number. The federal award minimums are below the national full‑time average for all but the most senior ranks. But actual earnings, boosted by the recent 14% increase, shift allowances and overtime, can easily cross the line. If you want to see where your own pay sits, Place a salary on the line and compare it to the national average, the state average, or the median for your occupation.

For more detail on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set.

Questions

What is the current minimum salary for a firefighter in NSW under the federal award?

Under the Fire Fighting Industry Award (effective July 2026), a full-time public sector qualified firefighter earns a minimum of $1,607.97 per week, or about $83,614 per year. This rate includes shift loading and average 40‑hours loading. Higher classifications such as station officer ($1,994.48/week, ~$103,713/year) and senior station officer ($2,148.65/week, ~$111,730/year) are closer to or above the national full‑time average of $108,352.

How did the recent NSW Government determination affect firefighter pay?

In 2026, the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW awarded a 14% wage increase over three years, backdated to February 2024. The increases are: 4% from February 2024, 4% from February 2025, 3% from February 2026, plus an additional 3% from 2026 for road crash rescue competency. This means actual NSW firefighter salaries are higher than the federal award minimums, though exact post‑determination dollar figures have not been published.

What factors could move a firefighter’s pay above the national full‑time average?

Base award rates for most firefighter classifications are below the national full‑time average of $108,352. However, shift allowances, overtime, penalty rates, and the recent NSW wage determination can push total earnings above the line, especially for senior ranks like station officer and senior station officer. Location also matters: the NSW state full‑time average is $109,658, slightly above the national figure, so firefighters in higher‑cost areas may see a smaller gap.

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