Emergency medical technicians salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,130 | $16.41 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $44,470 | $21.38 |
| Mean (average) | $46,830 | $22.52 |
| 90th percentile | $62,500 | $30.05 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Emergency medical technicians pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,810 | $28,620 | $51,160 | 2,020 | 0.82 |
| Alaska | $57,440 | $44,400 | $81,150 | 310 | 0.81 |
| Arizona | $39,500 | $33,860 | $50,790 | 3,970 | 1.05 |
| Arkansas | $36,230 | $28,370 | $49,910 | 1,120 | 0.74 |
| California | $46,380 | $38,740 | $78,150 | 21,880 | 1.03 |
| Colorado | $45,750 | $38,370 | $58,320 | 3,060 | 0.92 |
| Connecticut | $50,640 | $40,160 | $59,610 | 2,190 | 1.11 |
| Delaware | $46,790 | $39,060 | $57,660 | 950 | 1.69 |
| District of Columbia | $46,650 | $39,310 | $73,670 | 370 | 0.46 |
| Florida | $39,870 | $34,120 | $59,000 | 6,060 | 0.53 |
| Georgia | $45,550 | $33,910 | $52,600 | 6,260 | 1.1 |
| Hawaii | $66,410 | $51,140 | $84,620 | 560 | 0.77 |
| Idaho | $38,840 | $27,180 | $51,140 | 780 | 0.78 |
| Illinois | $42,260 | $36,420 | $135,490 | 7,840 | 1.11 |
| Indiana | $42,740 | $36,170 | $50,640 | 4,160 | 1.12 |
| Iowa | $40,660 | $35,600 | $60,080 | 1,510 | 0.83 |
| Kansas | $35,780 | $28,560 | $53,710 | 1,510 | 0.9 |
| Kentucky | $36,800 | $29,800 | $49,950 | 2,770 | 1.19 |
| Louisiana | $35,870 | $27,390 | $46,460 | 2,450 | 1.09 |
| Maine | $46,340 | $38,210 | $58,100 | 1,110 | 1.49 |
| Maryland | $48,100 | $39,960 | $85,290 | 3,400 | 1.06 |
| Massachusetts | $50,230 | $40,140 | $69,830 | 4,550 | 1.08 |
| Michigan | $39,870 | $35,360 | $49,620 | 4,230 | 0.83 |
| Minnesota | $48,090 | $31,340 | $59,220 | 3,160 | 0.92 |
| Mississippi | $36,630 | $26,760 | $48,290 | 1,390 | 1.03 |
| Missouri | $42,160 | $34,390 | $58,090 | 2,800 | 0.82 |
| Montana | $36,140 | $27,280 | $46,310 | 860 | 1.44 |
| Nebraska | $41,710 | $35,060 | $68,670 | 540 | 0.45 |
| Nevada | $37,560 | $29,060 | $59,000 | 1,530 | 0.85 |
| New Hampshire | $46,790 | $37,320 | $59,670 | 1,010 | 1.27 |
| New Jersey | $53,610 | $45,550 | $64,740 | 6,120 | 1.23 |
| New Mexico | $37,550 | $32,370 | $55,500 | 1,260 | 1.24 |
| New York | $48,400 | $39,890 | $69,210 | 14,840 | 1.32 |
| North Carolina | $44,250 | $35,190 | $59,750 | 6,680 | 1.17 |
| North Dakota | $39,670 | $31,890 | $54,100 | 760 | 1.52 |
| Ohio | $40,220 | $34,940 | $53,960 | 5,560 | 0.86 |
| Oklahoma | $34,170 | $27,840 | $45,630 | 2,410 | 1.22 |
| Oregon | $49,270 | $37,600 | $63,430 | 1,970 | 0.86 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,310 | $34,480 | $54,370 | 10,160 | 1.44 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,610 | $21,840 | $40,290 | 650 | 0.6 |
| Rhode Island | $51,290 | $39,360 | $61,160 | 430 | 0.75 |
| South Carolina | $40,370 | $31,590 | $49,210 | 4,010 | 1.5 |
| South Dakota | $36,800 | $31,130 | $48,460 | 600 | 1.13 |
| Tennessee | $40,330 | $29,720 | $59,370 | 3,860 | 1.01 |
| Texas | $37,260 | $30,320 | $52,160 | 12,770 | 0.78 |
| Utah | $38,930 | $31,410 | $48,240 | 1,280 | 0.64 |
| Vermont | $45,600 | $36,770 | $57,700 | 790 | 2.25 |
| Virgin Islands | $47,040 | $36,770 | $53,480 | 40 | 1.1 |
| Virginia | $45,420 | $36,540 | $59,180 | 4,490 | 0.94 |
| Washington | $52,690 | $37,290 | $60,960 | 2,940 | 0.71 |
| West Virginia | $34,360 | $29,120 | $45,350 | 900 | 1.11 |
| Wisconsin | $43,060 | $33,550 | $60,910 | 3,930 | 1.15 |
| Wyoming | $47,070 | $30,480 | $53,930 | 400 | 1.23 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for emergency medical technicians
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 13,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for emergency medical technicians
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
- Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
- Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.
- Comfort and reassure patients.
- Communicate with dispatchers or treatment center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of survivors, or to receive instructions for further treatment.
- Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
- Decontaminate ambulance interior following treatment of patient with infectious disease, and report case to proper authorities.
- Drive mobile intensive care unit to specified location, following instructions from emergency medical dispatcher.
Technology skills
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Epocrates
- HyperTox
- Informed EMS Field Guide
- Iterum eMedic
- MedDataSolutions Regist*r
- Medical Wizards ER & ICU ToolBox
- Medical Wizards ER Suite
- Medical Wizards Paramedics ToolBox
- Mosby's Drug Consult
- PEPID EMS
- Palmtree EMS Field Reference Guide
Common job titles: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), First Responder.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do emergency medical technicians make?
The national median annual wage for emergency medical technicians was $44,470 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $34,130 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $62,500. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do emergency medical technicians need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is emergency medical technicians a growing career?
BLS projects employment of emergency medical technicians to change +5.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 13,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay emergency medical technicians the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Hawaii ($66,410), Alaska ($57,440), New Jersey ($53,610). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.