Salary data is based on the Duluth, MN-WI metropolitan area and applied to Coon Rapids using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Firefighters Salaries in Coon Rapids, MN

Average Base Pay

$66,096/yr

5% below national average

Monthly

$5,508

Hourly

$32

Cost Index

Firefighters in Coon Rapids, MN earn an average of $66,096 per year, with most salaries falling between $52,877 and $79,315 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 5% below the national average, Coon Rapids offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 91. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Coon Rapids.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$50K
Low

$66K
Median

$83K
High

25th percentile: $56K75th percentile: $76K

About Firefighters

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics respond to 911 calls and other emergencies, providing immediate medical assessment and treatment and transporting patients to appropriate care facilities. EMTs perform initial assessment, manage airways, control bleeding, stabilize spine injuries, provide CPR, use automated external defibrillators, and administer oxygen. Paramedics have an expanded scope of practice—starting IVs, administering a range of medications, performing advanced airway management including intubation, reading and interpreting EKGs, and providing cardiac interventions. The work is physically demanding and emotionally challenging, requiring calm under extreme pressure in unpredictable environments including vehicle crashes, violent scenes, and psychiatric emergencies. EMTs and paramedics work in partnership with fire departments, private ambulance services, hospitals, and in some jurisdictions as standalone EMS systems. They complete detailed patient care reports documenting their assessment findings and treatment. EMT certification requires completing a state-approved training program and passing the NREMT examination; paramedic certification requires a longer program including clinical rotations and also passes through NREMT.

What Firefighters Do

Respond to emergency calls and assess patient condition rapidly
Manage airway, breathing, and circulation in medical and trauma emergencies
Administer BLS interventions including CPR, bleeding control, and splinting
Paramedics: start IVs, administer medications, perform cardiac monitoring
Transport patients safely to the appropriate receiving facility
Communicate patient status to receiving hospital staff during transport
Complete accurate patient care reports
Maintain and check equipment readiness at the start of each shift

Key Skills & Qualifications

BLS and ALS assessment and treatment protocols
Airway management including BVM and advanced airway (paramedic)
Cardiac monitoring and 12-lead EKG interpretation (paramedic)
Emergency medication pharmacology (paramedic)
Trauma management and spinal precautions
Pediatric emergency care
NREMT-B (EMT) or NREMT-P (Paramedic) certification
Stress management and emotional resilience

Career Path

EMT-Basic
EMT-Advanced / EMT-Intermediate
Paramedic
EMS Supervisor / Flight Paramedic
EMS Director / Physician Assistant (advanced pathway)

Firefighters Market in Coon Rapids, MN

Salary Competitiveness

Coon Rapids currently pays 5% below the national median for Firefighters. This gap can reflect a lower regional cost base, thinner employer density, or a surplus of qualified candidates relative to open roles—factors worth factoring into any offer negotiation or relocation calculation.

Cost of Living Impact

Coon Rapids sits close to the national cost average. Monthly essential expenses represent about 59% of take-home pay for this role—a midrange ratio that allows for modest savings and discretionary spending, provided housing costs remain stable.

Effective Purchasing Power

The purchasing power of $66,096 for a Firefighters in Coon Rapids is moderate: enough to meet essential expenses and build incremental savings, but requiring deliberate budgeting to avoid margin erosion—especially as rent and healthcare costs have outpaced wage growth across many mid-tier markets.

vs. National Avg

-5%

Cost Pressure

59%

Purchasing Power

Moderate

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

Annual Salary

Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$48,250

Monthly

$4,021

Weekly

$928

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $66,096 for a Firefighters in Coon Rapids translates to roughly $4,021 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,358—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $1,663 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Coon Rapids's current market.

How far does this salary go in Coon Rapids?

Cost of Living in Coon Rapids

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Coon Rapids, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,356/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$452/mo

🚗Transportation$122/mo

💡Utilities$159/mo

🏥Healthcare$269/mo

Monthly$2,358

Annual$28,296

Disposable Income$1,663

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Coon Rapids to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$4,021

Living Costs

$2,358

Disposable

$1,663

Cost Index

Lifestyle

Moderate

With a monthly take-home of $4,021, your estimated living costs in Coon Rapids are $2,358 ($28,296/yr). This leaves $1,663 per month in disposable income, indicating a moderate standard of living. Coon Rapids's cost of living is 9% below the national average.

Overall, a Firefighters earning $66,096 in Coon Rapids falls into a moderate lifestyle tier and can cover essentials and hit modest savings goals, though discretionary spending warrants careful planning. With a cost index of 91, Coon Rapids is 9% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Coon Rapids continue to evolve.