Career data
EMT & paramedic salary by state
Federal wage data (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2023) for EMTs and paramedics — national pay, top-paying states, top metros, and the levers that actually raise your income.
EMT mean annual
$43,100
$20.72/hr · 167,040 employed
Paramedic mean annual
$57,450
$27.62/hr · 98,770 employed
National pay range
Means get skewed by high-cost metros. The percentile spread is a better picture of what a real paycheck looks like at each stage of an EMS career.
| Percentile | EMT annual | Paramedic annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,910 | $38,520 |
| 25th percentile | $34,730 | $45,990 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $38,930 | $53,180 |
| 75th percentile | $46,760 | $64,370 |
| 90th percentile | $59,390 | $79,430 |
Top-paying states for EMTs
| State | Mean hourly | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $31.35 | $65,200 |
| Alaska | $25.80 | $53,670 |
| District of Columbia | $25.68 | $53,420 |
| California | $25.05 | $52,100 |
| Illinois | $24.96 | $51,920 |
Top-paying states for paramedics
| State | Mean hourly | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $45.43 | $94,500 |
| New Jersey | $38.71 | $80,510 |
| Hawaii | $35.47 | $73,770 |
| District of Columbia | $34.47 | $71,710 |
| Connecticut | $33.82 | $70,350 |
States with the most EMT jobs
Where the hiring volume is — useful if you want options rather than the highest single wage.
| State | EMTs employed | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|
| California | 18,800 | $52,100 |
| Texas | 12,380 | $38,320 |
| New York | 11,330 | $47,970 |
| Pennsylvania | 8,000 | $38,230 |
| Illinois | 7,610 | $51,920 |
State-by-state snapshot
Mean annual wages for states with published BLS estimates for both occupations. A dash means the state is not among the published estimates we cite here — check the official state table linked below for the full set.
| State | EMT mean annual | Paramedic mean annual |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,690 | $45,060 |
| Alaska | $53,670 | — |
| Arkansas | $34,450 | $47,300 |
| California | $52,100 | — |
| Connecticut | $50,530 | $70,350 |
| Delaware | $44,710 | — |
| District of Columbia | $53,420 | $71,710 |
| Hawaii | $65,200 | $73,770 |
| Illinois | $51,920 | $67,240 |
| Iowa | $40,740 | $51,980 |
| Kentucky | $38,200 | $50,520 |
| Maryland | $51,640 | $66,170 |
| New Jersey | — | $80,510 |
| New York | $47,970 | — |
| North Dakota | $42,430 | — |
| Pennsylvania | $38,230 | — |
| South Carolina | $38,050 | — |
| Texas | $38,320 | — |
| Vermont | $39,350 | — |
| Washington | — | $94,500 |
| West Virginia | $33,150 | — |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2023 (SOC 29-2042 Emergency Medical Technicians, 29-2043 Paramedics). Full state tables at bls.gov.
Highest-paying metro areas
| Metro area | EMT mean annual |
|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $59,970 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $62,960 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $51,120 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $51,020 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $49,980 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $44,660 |
How to actually raise your EMS pay
Move up a certification level
Nationally, paramedics average about $14,000 more per year than EMTs. Advancing EMT → AEMT → Paramedic is the single biggest pay lever in EMS.
Employer type matters more than state
Municipal fire-based EMS and hospital systems typically pay well above private transport companies in the same city, often with pensions and overtime rules that add 20–40% in real earnings.
Overtime and shift differentials
Most EMS wage data reports base wages. 48/96 schedules, holiday pay, and night differentials mean actual W-2 income frequently exceeds the published mean.
Specialty credentials
Critical care (CCP-C/FP-C), flight, tactical, and community paramedicine roles pay premiums and are usually the highest-earning field positions.
Cost of living
A $52,000 EMT wage in California is not the same as $42,000 in North Dakota. Compare pay against local rent before deciding a state is 'better.'
Step one
Get certified, then get paid.
Every pay bump in EMS starts with passing a registry exam. Practice the real thing free.
How to become an EMT
The six-step path from prerequisites to state license.
EMT school cost & length
What programs really cost, line by line.
EMT vs AEMT vs Paramedic
Scope, training hours, and pay differences compared.
Requirements by state
Licensing, renewal, and reciprocity for all 50 states.
Frequently asked
- How much do EMTs make a year?
- Federal BLS data (May 2023) puts the EMT mean annual wage at $43,100 and the median at $38,930. The bottom 10% earn about $29,910 and the top 10% about $59,390.
- How much do paramedics make?
- Paramedics average $57,450 per year with a median of $53,180. The top 10% earn about $79,430, and top-paying states like Washington average over $94,000.
- Which state pays EMTs the most?
- Hawaii leads for EMTs at roughly $65,200 mean annual wage, followed by Alaska, the District of Columbia, California, and Illinois. For paramedics, Washington is the clear leader.
- Is EMT a good paying job?
- Entry-level EMT pay is modest, but it is one of the fastest healthcare careers to enter — often under six months of training — and pay rises substantially with paramedic certification, a fire-based or hospital employer, and specialty credentials.
- Do EMTs get paid more than firefighters?
- Usually no. Fire-based EMS positions typically pay more than private ambulance EMT roles, which is why many EMTs pursue dual fire/EMS certification.
- How fast can I start earning as an EMT?
- Most EMT courses run 120–180 hours over 3–6 months. After passing the NREMT cognitive exam and skills verification and obtaining state licensure, you can be on a truck earning within about six months of starting class.