Fire Chief pay range
State of Washington · class code 396F
- Class code
- 396F
- Salary range
- 62
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Fire Chief is $74,748 to $100,488 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 396F.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Step progression
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) assigns this class to salary range 62 in the General Service Salary Schedule. The range pays 13 steps; a step is normally earned on a periodic increment date, not negotiated.
| Basis | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $74,748 | $76,608 | $78,504 | $80,496 | $82,440 | $84,528 | $86,688 | $88,788 | $91,104 | $93,288 | $95,676 | $98,064 | $100,488 |
| Monthly | $6,229 | $6,384 | $6,542 | $6,708 | $6,870 | $7,044 | $7,224 | $7,399 | $7,592 | $7,774 | $7,973 | $8,172 | $8,374 |
| Hourly | $35.80 | $36.69 | $37.60 | $38.55 | $39.48 | $40.48 | $41.52 | $42.52 | $43.63 | $44.68 | $45.82 | $46.97 | $48.13 |
Steps as published. The monthly and hourly rows are the state's own, not conversions of the annual row.
Class specification
The OFM classified job specification for this class is published by Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications.
What the state says the job is
This is the senior, specialist, or leadworker level of the series. Within the Department of Corrections, directs the emergency response program for fire, medical aid, and hazardous materials emergencies on McNeil Island, 24-hours a day, seven days a week, protecting life and safety of McNeil Island staff, inmates and island residents. Monitors a fire suppression-training program that meets or exceeds state and local requirements; OR In higher education, directs a shift of fire department personnel and functional operations. May supervise fire officers and student fire fighters.
Examples of the work
Assists in interviewing and making recommendations on appointments and with disciplinary actions; Plans, schedules and assigns staff and student fire personnel to shifts and duty assignments; Reviews and analyzes operational data and initiate or recommend corrective action; Assists in the development of departmental operating policies and procedures; Organizes and conducts lectures on fire safety, life safety, occupational safety and related subjects; Coordinates and performs safety and fire inspections to ensure compliance with applicable codes; Develops and directs training programs for campus and other area emergency personnel; Devises and conducts pre-fire planning surveys to enhance fir ...
Minimum qualifications
Four years of experience as a lieutenant or above at a fire department involved in fire suppression activities OR Two years of experience as a lieutenant or above at a fire department involved in fire suppression activities which includes at least one year as a fire codes enforcement officer.
Special requirements
Certification as an Emergency Medical Technician is required prior to employment. Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.
Quoted from the OFM classified job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) publishes this figure in Classified Job Listing joined to the OFM salary schedules effective July 1, 2026. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The dollar figures come from the salary schedule the listing assigns this range to.
Nearby classes in Washington
Fire Chief in other states
| State | Minimum | Maximum | Per year at full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $6,294 | $8,502 | $75,528 to $102,024 |
| Florida | $34,760 | $68,796 | $34,760 to $68,796 |
Each state publishes its own range for a classification with this exact title. Duties, grade structures and bargaining units differ between states, so read each class page before comparing.