Emergency Medical Technician salary in the U.S.
Emergency Medical Technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $44,470 a year ($21.38 an hour), based on BLS data for 180,510 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,130 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,500 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $46,830, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for emergency medical technicians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,130 | $16.41 |
| 25th percentile | $37,960 | $18.25 |
| Median | $44,470 | $21.38 |
| 75th percentile | $50,100 | $24.09 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,500 | $30.05 |
| Average (mean) | $46,830 | $22.52 |
Half of emergency medical technicians earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,705.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,852.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,710.38 |
| Weekly | $855.19 |
| Hourly | $21.38 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Emergency Medical Technician salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $66,410 | 560 |
| Alaska | $57,440 | 310 |
| New Jersey | $53,610 | 6,120 |
| Washington | $52,690 | 2,940 |
| Rhode Island | $51,290 | 430 |
| Connecticut | $50,640 | 2,190 |
| Massachusetts | $50,230 | 4,550 |
| Oregon | $49,270 | 1,970 |
| New York | $48,400 | 14,840 |
| Maryland | $48,100 | 3,400 |
| Minnesota | $48,090 | 3,160 |
| Wyoming | $47,070 | 400 |
| Virgin Islands | $47,040 | 40 |
| Delaware | $46,790 | 950 |
| New Hampshire | $46,790 | 1,010 |
| District of Columbia | $46,650 | 370 |
| California | $46,380 | 21,880 |
| Maine | $46,340 | 1,110 |
| Colorado | $45,750 | 3,060 |
| Vermont | $45,600 | 790 |
| Georgia | $45,550 | 6,260 |
| Virginia | $45,420 | 4,490 |
| North Carolina | $44,250 | 6,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,310 | 10,160 |
| Wisconsin | $43,060 | 3,930 |
| Indiana | $42,740 | 4,160 |
| Illinois | $42,260 | 7,840 |
| Missouri | $42,160 | 2,800 |
| Nebraska | $41,710 | 540 |
| Iowa | $40,660 | 1,510 |
| South Carolina | $40,370 | 4,010 |
| Tennessee | $40,330 | 3,860 |
| Ohio | $40,220 | 5,560 |
| Florida | $39,870 | 6,060 |
| Michigan | $39,870 | 4,230 |
| North Dakota | $39,670 | 760 |
| Arizona | $39,500 | 3,970 |
| Utah | $38,930 | 1,280 |
| Idaho | $38,840 | 780 |
| Alabama | $37,810 | 2,020 |
| Nevada | $37,560 | 1,530 |
| New Mexico | $37,550 | 1,260 |
| Texas | $37,260 | 12,770 |
| Kentucky | $36,800 | 2,770 |
| South Dakota | $36,800 | 600 |
| Mississippi | $36,630 | 1,390 |
| Arkansas | $36,230 | 1,120 |
| Montana | $36,140 | 860 |
| Louisiana | $35,870 | 2,450 |
| Kansas | $35,780 | 1,510 |
| West Virginia | $34,360 | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $34,170 | 2,410 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,610 | 650 |
Best-paying metro areas for emergency medical technicians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | $68,160 | 80 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $67,050 | 460 |
| Redding, CA | $60,120 | 80 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $56,430 | 130 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $55,700 | 1,290 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $54,990 | 270 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $54,650 | 830 |
| Bismarck, ND | $53,940 | 80 |
| Wilmington, NC | $53,850 | 240 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $53,820 | 13,780 |
| New Haven, CT | $53,440 | 490 |
| Vineland, NJ | $52,890 | 150 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $52,440 | 270 |
| Iowa City, IA | $52,210 | 70 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $52,010 | 1,040 |
Metro areas with the most emergency medical technicians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 13,780 | $53,820 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,610 | $45,090 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 5,610 | $44,020 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,970 | $47,790 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,580 | $51,480 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,410 | $50,560 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 3,090 | $47,500 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,000 | $37,900 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,840 | $39,500 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,680 | $38,890 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,340 | $43,500 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,140 | $48,330 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2,000 | $43,240 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,750 | $43,620 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,730 | $49,250 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,400 | $30.96 |
| Pharmacy Technician | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $62,930 | $30.26 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $80,110 | $38.52 |
| Medical Records Specialist | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $50,290 | $24.18 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $45,130 | $21.70 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $47,380 | $22.78 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| Paramedic | $60,600 | $29.13 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 | $46.44 |
| Opticians, Dispensing | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technician | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | $35.73 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-2042. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a emergency medical technician make in the U.S.?
The median salary for emergency medical technicians in the U.S. is $44,470 a year, or $21.38 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,130 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,500 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid emergency medical technicians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of emergency medical technicians in the U.S. earn at least $62,500 a year. The top 25% earn $50,100 or more.
What is the starting pay for emergency medical technicians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,130 a year, and a quarter of emergency medical technicians earn $37,960 or less.
How many emergency medical technicians work in the U.S.?
About 180,510 emergency medical technicians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.