Fire Fighter Salary: Hourly to Annual Pay Guide for 2026–27

How to Convert an Hourly Rate to Annual Salary

To estimate your annual salary from an hourly rate, use the standard formula: hourly rate × hours per week × 52. This article assumes a full-time week of 38 hours, which is the ordinary hours for most awards including the Fire Fighting Industry Award. For example, if you earn $38.00 per hour, your annual gross pay would be $38.00 × 38 × 52 = $75,088. You can also work out your fortnightly pay by multiplying the weekly amount by two (e.g., $1,444 × 2 = $2,888). This method gives a consistent figure, but remember it does not include overtime, penalty rates, or allowances.

Fire Fighter Salary Under the Fire Fighting Industry Award

When researching a fire fighter salary, the most reliable source is the Fair Work Ombudsman's Fire Fighting Industry Award 2020. The award sets minimum rates for both public and private sector employees. For public sector full-time employees, the rates include a shift loading (30%) and an average 40-hours loading (10.5263%) built into the total weekly rate. For example, a Qualified Firefighter in the public sector receives a total weekly rate of $1,607.97 for 38 hours, which works out to:

• Annual: $1,607.97 × 52 = $83,614.44
• Fortnightly: $1,607.97 × 2 = $3,215.94
• Hourly equivalent: $42.32 (the base hourly rate before loadings)

Private sector rates are lower because they do not include those loadings. A private sector Qualified Firefighter has a minimum weekly rate of $1,119.10 (hourly $29.45), giving an annual salary of $58,193.20. The award also covers other classifications such as Recruit, Leading Firefighter, and Station Officer. You can find the full pay guide on the Fair Work Ombudsman website or use our pay guides to compare rates.

Casual Loading and Superannuation Paid on Top

Casual loading of 25% applies to awards that have casual classifications, but the Fire Fighting Industry Award does not include casual employees – fire fighters are generally permanent. However, understanding casual loading is still useful for other roles. If you are in an award that does have casual workers, the casual rate is the minimum hourly rate plus 25% on top. For example, a national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour for permanent employees; a casual worker gets $33.05 including the 25% loading. Always enter your base hourly rate without loading when using our the timesheet. Superannuation is paid on top of ordinary earnings at 12% of ordinary earnings (minimum weekly rate plus all-purpose allowances). For a public sector Qualified Firefighter, the minimum weekly rate is $1,119.10, so the super contribution is about $134.29 per week (12% of $1,119.10). This is paid by the employer and does not reduce your take-home pay. The super guarantee applies up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. See our super and packaging page for more details.

Tax and Take-Home Pay Estimates

Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates, a fire fighter salary of $83,614 would fall into the 30% bracket ($45,001 to $135,000). The tax-free threshold is $18,200. Medicare levy is generally 2% (using 2025–26 single reduction thresholds as 2026–27 were not confirmed). The estimated tax on $83,614 would be:

• Tax on first $18,200: $0
• Tax on $18,201 to $45,000: $4,020 (15% of $26,800)
• Tax on $45,001 to $83,614: $11,584.20 (30% of $38,614)
• Total tax: $15,604.20
• Medicare levy (2%): $1,672.28
• Total deductions: $17,276.48
• Estimated take-home pay: $66,337.96 per year

This is an estimate only. It does not include HELP repayments, Medicare levy surcharge, or salary packaging. For a more detailed calculation, use our take-home pay tool. Remember that the annual figure assumes the same rate every week with no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, or allowances. Always check your award or agreement for the exact conditions.

Using the Hourly to Annual Calculator

Our hourly conversion tool lets you enter your base hourly rate and optionally add 25% casual loading. It then calculates annual, fortnightly, and weekly pay, plus estimated tax and super. For a fire fighter salary, you would enter the base hourly rate from the award (e.g., $29.45 for private sector Qualified Firefighter) and leave casual loading unchecked, as it does not apply. The calculator assumes 38 hours per week and uses the same formula described above. You can also compare your rate to the minimum wage or average pay from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (full-time adult ordinary time $2,083.70 per week as of May 2026).

Remember that the award rates are minimums – many fire fighters receive above-award pay through enterprise agreements. Always consult your employer or union for your exact salary.