Firefighter Salaries: Inside the State Fire Service Pay Structure

The State Fire Service of Poland reveals that monthly gross salaries for firefighters range from 6,000 to over 30,000 zlotys, depending on seniority, rank, and specific management responsibilities.

Salary Tiers and Composition

As of late 2026, the Polish State Fire Service (PSP) employs 32,448 people, including 30,542 active officers. Salaries are determined by a base amount defined in the budget law, multiplied by coefficients assigned to specific service groups.

Total compensation consists of a base salary supplemented by various additions. These include payments for rank, functional roles, leadership duties, and specific qualifications or challenging working conditions.

Compensation Across Service Ranks

The service structure is divided into 20 salary groups. Trainees, categorized in the first group, earned an average of 6,584 zlotys gross at the end of last year, while technicians and rescue drivers in the fourth group earned an average of 7,176 zlotys.

Mid-level specialists and operations assistants in the tenth group earn over 10,000 zlotys gross. Higher-level positions, such as department heads and legal advisors, earn between 11,966 and 20,984 zlotys. The highest salaries are reserved for top leadership, with deputy commanders earning up to 28,969 zlotys and the Chief Commander of the PSP earning 31,757 zlotys.

Staffing and Future Expansion

Despite current vacancies totaling nearly 1,700 positions, the PSP maintains that these are addressed through regular recruitment drives. The organization is undergoing a planned expansion as mandated by the 2026–2029 modernization program and civil defense legislation.

This expansion includes the addition of 485 new positions for 2026, with further growth planned for the coming years. The service is set to receive 20 additional positions next year, followed by an increase of 1,680 slots under the civil protection and defense framework.