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.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$48,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$4,000
8.3% of base
Total target cash
$52,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,50050th$4,00075th$6,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical experience: varies by employer. Entry-level roles usually require little or no prior experience; senior roles typically require 5 or more years in the occupation. See the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the specific entry path.
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.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
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
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