How much do NYC Firefighters make?
FDNY Salary information for interested FDNY candidates:
At Civil Service Success we strive to provide key information for FDNY Exam and job inquires including the latest FDNY Salary structure.
As per FDNY Recruit: Starting salary for a FDNY Firefighter is $45,196. But with overtime and holiday pay, which is often required, you can get additional compensation. After five years, a Firefighter can make more than $100,000, including overtime and holiday pay.
Firefighter Salary Double your salary (*) after just five years.
At Civil Service Success we provide Prep Classes for the FDNY Exam, FDNY Promotional Exam for EMT’s and many other civil services and DCAS job opportunities: Click Link >> CivilServiceSuccess.com
FDNY Firefighters receive an incredible benefits package and a competitive salary.
- Lifelong medical coverage for you and your family
- Growth opportunities
- Flexible work schedules
- Up to four weeks paid vacation per year.
- Generous pension
If you are interested in this FDNY job opportunity and want to review more information on the FDNY Salary and unbelievable benefits here is a helpful link for this: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/queenscb2/downloads/pdf/notices/2022/Firefighter-Information-Sheet.pdf
Another very helpful link the is YouTube FDNY Candidate Prep Series at: Fire Resources — JoinFDNY and in addition there are various YouTube videos from other sources such as Civil Service Success and class prep information for the FDNY Exam at: www.Civilservicesuccess.com
Here are some helpful links:
New York City Fire Department Pension
Excelling in your Civil Service Career.
Here is some Empire Center reference information on pension plan for FDNY and is part of the overall FDNY Salary and Compensation package.
The 471 Fire Department of New York (FDNY) officers and firefighters who retired in calendar year 2018 are eligible for average pensions of $129,259, according to data posted today at SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center’s transparency website.
According to the Empire Center’s analysis, the highest pension amounts were available to senior officers in the department. The 181 assistant chiefs, captains, battalion chiefs and lieutenants retiring in 2018 were eligible for average pensions of $162,592, while 290 newly retired firefighters were eligible for average pensions of $108,454. In total, 74 percent of newly retired FDNY employees were eligible for pensions with at least six-figures.
Out of all 15,616 FDNY retirees, 4,011 were eligible for six-figure pensions in 2019, more than triple the 2009 number.
Out of 37 new FDNY retirees eligible for pensions of $200,000 or more, 14 were captains, 10 were battalion chiefs and the rest held other officer ranks. The top five pensioners were William Seelig, assistant chief at $285,633; Stephen Raynis, assistant chief at $266,596; Kevin Blaine, battalion chief at $266,521; Brian Smith, captain at $252,680; and Paul Smith, captain at $251,044.
In the past, the high average level of FDNY pensions has in part reflected the number of firefighters receiving line-of-duty disability pensions, which are 75 percent of salary as opposed to the 50 percent available under normal service retirements. Higher benefits also include payments from an optional, guaranteed-return supplemental account supported by additional savings contributions by firefighters and fire officers who choose to participate in that plan.
The Empire Center recently won a major Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) case where a state Supreme Court justice ruled that the names of retired New York City police officers receiving public pensions must be released to the Empire Center. The ruling followed a ten-year legal battle with the city’s Police Pension Fund.
New York City firefighters and fire officers retiring last year after full careers were entitled to average annual pension benefits of $149,783, up 11 percent from the prior year, according to new data added to SeeThroughNY, the Empire Center’s government transparency website.
Out of a total of 15,796 FDNY retirees, the average pension as of fiscal 2023 came to $89,560, up $29,917 (50 percent) from $59,642 a decade ago. Both amounts include in-service disability payments for some.
Looking at the most recent data for all New York City Fire Pension Fund retirees, 464 retirees were eligible for pensions over $200,000, and seven were eligible for pensions over $300,000. The highest pension among all retirees went to retired Captain Patrick W. McEvoy, who was eligible for $364,162 after retiring in early 2022.
The figures include benefits from an optional program that allows members to make extra contributions to the plan, and the pension fund’s “Variable Supplement Fund,” a $12,000 payment to uniformed employees also known as “the Christmas bonus.”
Even assuming a generous 7 percent average rate of return on its investments, the Fire Pension Plan has an unfunded liability of more than $7 billion — equating to $700,000 per firefighter and fire officer on the job today. A 2021 Empire Center analysis of state retirement funds warned the Fire Pension Fund was “especially weak.”
The pensions are constitutionally guaranteed by New York taxpayers and are exempt from New York state income tax. New York City government retirees also receive city healthcare coverage at no cost.
The data are only publicly available thanks to the Empire Center’s successful 2014 lawsuit.