How much does an Emergency Medical Technician make?
An Emergency Medical Technician earns a median annual salary of $44,470 in the United States, which works out to roughly $21.38 per hour for full-time work. Most Emergency Medical Technicians earn between $34,130 at the entry level and $62,500 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,960 and $50,100 a year.
That is $16,920 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Emergency Medical Technician salary range by percentile
Half of all Emergency Medical Technicians earn between $37,960 and $50,100 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,130 | $16.41 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $37,960 | $18.25 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $44,470 | $21.38 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $50,100 | $24.09 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,500 | $30.05 |
Highest-paying states for Emergency Medical Technician
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Hawaii leads the country for Emergency Medical Technician pay at $66,410 a year, followed by Alaska ($57,440) and New Jersey ($53,610). At the other end, Oklahoma posts the lowest median at $34,170 — a gap of $32,240 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $66,410 | $31.93 | +49% |
| 2 | Alaska | $57,440 | $27.62 | +29% |
| 3 | New Jersey | $53,610 | $25.77 | +21% |
| 4 | Washington | $52,690 | $25.33 | +18% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $51,290 | $24.66 | +15% |
Emergency Medical Technician salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 181,000 people work as Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $46,830 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other healthcare roles with similar pay.