Firefighter salary QLD: what you actually take home after tax and Medicare

Firefighter salary QLD: what you actually take home

If you're looking at a career with the Queensland Fire Department (QFD), the published pay rates are only part of the story. What matters is the amount that lands in your bank account after income tax and the Medicare levy. This guide uses the latest QFD Certified Agreement 2025 wage tables and the 2026–27 tax rates to give you a realistic picture of your take-home pay.

Pay rates from the QFD Certified Agreement 2025

The Queensland Fire Department Certified Agreement 2025 (CA25) started on 14 April 2026 and runs until 31 July 2028. It covers firefighters, station officers, fire communications centre employees, and other roles. The wage tables include base rates plus weekend and night shift allowances and a 38-hour week allowance. The figures below are effective from 1 September 2025 (after a State Wage Case uplift) and are the most current published by QFD.

Classification	Fortnightly total (incl. allowances)	Annualised (× 26)
Recruit Firefighter	$2,943.92	$76,542
Firefighter PP1	$3,516.01	$91,416
First Class Firefighter PP1	$3,781.05	$98,307
Senior Firefighter PP1	$4,011.15	$104,290
Leading Firefighter PP1	$4,281.09	$111,308
Station Officer 1 PP1	$4,785.65	$124,427
Station Officer 3 PP3	$5,285.94	$137,434

These are the total fortnightly amounts including all shift allowances. The base rate alone is lower, but the total is what you actually receive each pay period.

Estimating your take-home pay

Using the 2026–27 tax rates (resident, no HELP/HECS, no salary sacrifice), here's what a recruit and a Firefighter PP1 would take home after tax and Medicare.

Recruit Firefighter – $76,542 annualised

• Tax: $4,020 + 30c per $1 over $45,000 = $4,020 + 0.30 × ($76,542 – $45,000) = $4,020 + $9,463 = $13,483
• Less Low Income Tax Offset (LITO): maximum $700, but reduces by 5c per $1 over $37,500. At $76,542, LITO is $0 (phased out completely above $66,667).
• Medicare levy: 2% of $76,542 = $1,531 (full rate applies as salary exceeds $35,013 threshold)
• Total deductions: $13,483 + $1,531 = $15,014
• Annual take-home: $76,542 – $15,014 = $61,528
• Fortnightly take-home: $61,528 ÷ 26 = $2,366

Firefighter PP1 – $91,416 annualised

• Tax: $4,020 + 0.30 × ($91,416 – $45,000) = $4,020 + $13,925 = $17,945
• LITO: $0 (phased out)
• Medicare levy: 2% of $91,416 = $1,828
• Total deductions: $17,945 + $1,828 = $19,773
• Annual take-home: $91,416 – $19,773 = $71,643
• Fortnightly take-home: $71,643 ÷ 26 = $2,755

These estimates exclude the Medicare levy surcharge (for singles without hospital cover earning over $93,000) and any salary packaging. They are not a tax assessment.

How does a firefighter salary QLD compare to national benchmarks?

Fair Work sets the national minimum wage at $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (annualised $52,255). The ABS reports full-time adult ordinary time earnings at $2,083.70 per week (annualised $108,352).

• A recruit firefighter ($76,542) earns 46% more than the minimum wage but 29% less than the full-time ordinary time benchmark.
• A Firefighter PP1 ($91,416) earns 75% more than the minimum wage and is about 16% below the full-time ordinary time benchmark.
• A Senior Firefighter PP1 ($104,290) is close to the full-time ordinary time benchmark.
• A Station Officer 1 PP1 ($124,427) exceeds the benchmark by about 15%.

So while entry-level firefighter pay is well above the minimum, it takes a few years of service or promotion to reach the average full-time earnings.

What about super?

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% on earnings up to $270,830. QFD pays super on top of the base rate and allowances. For a recruit firefighter, that's an extra $9,185 per year into your super account. For a Firefighter PP1, it's $10,970. Super is not deducted from your take-home pay – it's an employer contribution on top.

Key takeaways for your firefighter salary QLD

• The published fortnightly totals include shift allowances – your base rate is lower but the total is what you receive.
• After tax and Medicare, a recruit takes home about $2,366 per fortnight; a Firefighter PP1 about $2,755.
• These figures are well above the national minimum wage but below the full-time ordinary time average until you reach senior firefighter or station officer level.
• Super is additional and not deducted from your pay.

For more detailed calculations, use the Take-home pay tool or check the Tax and Medicare guide. You can also compare your offer to the Minimum wage and Average pay benchmarks.