Denton Firefighter Salary 2026: Every Step on the Pay Plan
From the City of Denton's Civil Service Fire Pay Plan FY 2025-2026, effective January 3, 2026: Fire Fighter $86,028.80 at Step A to $108,014.40 at Step F in seven years, with every step, monthly and hourly. Driver to $117,374.40, Lieutenant $129,896.00, Captain $143,540.80, Battalion Chief $164,008.00.
- Author
- Ready to Serve Editorial Team
- Published
- September 7, 2026
- Length
- 4 min read
- denton
- texas
- firefighter
Denton Firefighter Salary 2026: Every Step on the Pay Plan
30-second answer. The City of Denton's Civil Service Fire Pay Plan for FY 2025-2026, effective January 3, 2026, pays a Fire Fighter $86,028.80 at Step A and $108,014.40 at Step F, reached at seven years. Six steps, on anniversary date. Fire Driver tops at $117,374.40, Fire Lieutenant at $129,896.00, Fire Captain at $143,540.80, and Fire Battalion Chief at $164,008.00.
Fire Fighter, all six steps
| Step | When | Annual | Monthly | Shift hourly | 40-hour hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Hire | $86,028.80 | $7,169.07 | $28.17 | $41.36 |
| B | 2 years | $90,438.40 | $7,536.53 | $29.61 | $43.48 |
| C | 3 years | $94,827.20 | $7,902.27 | $31.05 | $45.59 |
| D | 4 years | $99,216.00 | $8,268.00 | $32.49 | $47.70 |
| E | 5 years | $103,625.60 | $8,635.47 | $33.93 | $49.82 |
| F | 7 years | $108,014.40 | $9,001.20 | $35.37 | $51.93 |
The plan's own footnote: "Step increases are based on anniversary date." The Fire Fighter-Quartermaster position sits on the same schedule.
Promoted ranks
Promoted ranks step by time in rank: at promotion, two years, four years.
| Rank | At promotion | 2 years | 4 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Driver | $111,259.20 | $114,316.80 | $117,374.40 |
| Fire Lieutenant | $123,905.60 | $126,900.80 | $129,896.00 |
| Fire Captain | $135,470.40 | $139,505.60 | $143,540.80 |
| Fire Battalion Chief | $154,356.80 | $159,182.40 | $164,008.00 |
The Assistant Fire Chief is appointed by the Fire Chief and the plan states the salary is set by the Chief rather than by a step.
Why the shift hourly rate is lower than the 40-hour rate
Both numbers describe the same annual pay. The plan publishes its shift-rate arithmetic: 2,928 annual hours worked including FLSA overtime hours, on a 14-day work period in which the maximum hours before overtime is 106. The shift hourly rate spreads the annual figure across those 2,928 hours with the built-in overtime premium; the 40-hour rate is the same salary over a standard year. A firefighter on the three-platoon 24-on, 48-off schedule the department describes is paid on the shift basis.
What this page does not print
Certification and assignment incentives are not on the pay plan document, so they are not on this page. The city's careers pages are the place to confirm any add-on before you count it.
Sources
- City of Denton, Civil Service Fire Pay Plan FY 2025-2026, effective January 3, 2026, lfpubweb.cityofdenton.com DocView id 76168, read September 7, 2026
- City of Denton, Fire & Emergency Careers FAQ (shift system), cityofdenton.com/Faq.aspx?TID=54, read September 7, 2026
Related Articles
Ready to start your Fire Service career?
Create a free account and get a personalized path: guidance, progress tracking, and a readiness profile that stands out to agencies.