What is the typical salary range for a Emergency Medical Technician?

Pay typically falls between $39,500 and $52,000 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Emergency Medical Technician Salary: $48,500 Average

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Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET

Average base salary

$48,500 / year

≈ $4,050 per month · $23.32 per hour

LocationOr metro areaOr industry (Grahall)Or city (Grahall)

25th percentile
$39,500Average
$48,50075th percentile
$52,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Emergency Medical Technician salary by state

Alabama$40,500

Alaska$61,000

Arizona$43,500

Arkansas$39,500

California$55,000

Colorado$48,500

Connecticut$53,000

Delaware$51,000

District of Columbia$53,000

Florida$45,500

Georgia$46,000

Hawaii$70,500

Idaho$41,000

Illinois$58,000

Indiana$46,000

Iowa$46,500

Kansas$39,000

Kentucky$40,500

Louisiana$38,000

Maine$49,000

Maryland$57,500

Massachusetts$54,500

Michigan$43,500

Minnesota$49,000

Mississippi$37,500

Missouri$45,000

Montana$38,000

Nebraska$50,500

Nevada$44,500

New Hampshire$49,000

New Jersey$57,000

New Mexico$43,500

New York$54,500

North Carolina$47,500

North Dakota$46,000

Ohio$44,500

Oklahoma$36,500

Oregon$52,000

Pennsylvania$45,500

Rhode Island$53,000

South Carolina$43,500

South Dakota$40,500

Tennessee$45,000

Texas$41,500

Utah$42,000

Vermont$47,000

Virginia$48,000

Washington$54,000

West Virginia$37,000

Wisconsin$47,000

Wyoming$46,500

Total cash compensation

Base salary plus target bonus using the Grahall equation. Bonus is a function of base; higher base means a higher target bonus.

Base salary

$48,500

National baseline

Target bonus

$4,000

8.3% of base

Total target cash

$52,500

Base plus target bonus

Bonus range (25th to 75th percentile): $2,500 to $6,500

Long-term incentive (LTI) varies by industry and executive tier and is not included in this view.

About this role

Emergency Medical Technician is a professional role within the function in the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Emergency Medical Technicians do

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.

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Emergency Medical Technician pay by experience level

Entry level$35,500

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$39,500

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$46,000

Mid-career median pay

Senior$52,000

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$64,500

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+5.1%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

14,100

projected openings per year

Growing about as fast as average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Emergency Medical Technician salary by industry

Ambulatory Health Care Services

91,950 workers

$46,000

Other Ambulatory Health Care Services

85,040 workers

$44,500

Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS

42,590 workers

$52,000

Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

42,380 workers

$52,000

Hospitals

35,980 workers

$50,000

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

35,730 workers

$50,000

Hospitals, Privately Owned

28,690 workers

$50,500

Hospitals, Local Government Owned

5,560 workers

$45,500

Outpatient Care Centers

3,990 workers

$70,500

Offices of Physicians

2,660 workers

$46,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Emergency Medical Technician pays 70% below the average across 91 roles in the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family (family average $162,000).

Similar-paying roles in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Pharmacy Technician$48,000

Ophthalmic Medical Technician$48,500

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$51,000

Opticians, Dispensing$53,500

Dietetic Technician$42,000

Medical Records Specialist$59,000

Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$61,000

Exercise Physiologist$63,000

Paramedic$65,500

Hearing Aid Specialist$68,500

Careers related to Emergency Medical Technician

Paramedic$65,500

Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians$37,500

Surgical Assistant$75,000

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$69,500

Registered Nurse$105,000

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$79,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Emergency Medical Technician make?

The average base salary for a Emergency Medical Technician in the United States is $48,500 per year, or about $23.32 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $39,500 and $52,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical roles?

The Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family averages $162,000 across 91 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
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