Are you considering becoming an EMT or Paramedic?   A job as an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic can be a fun, challenging, exciting, and a rewarding career, but might not pay as well as you think.  You should know what to expect for a salary for these positions, and what kind of EMT and Paramedic Jobs are available.  Below is EMT Salary information, and a list of some potential job opportunities for EMTs and Paramedics.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the estimated median wage for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics in 2017 was $33,380/year, and the estimated median hourly wage was $16.05/hour. 

EMT and Paramedic Salary and Job information

Getting your EMT or Paramedic license can be good job security for the future because the demand for these positions are on the rise.  The average annual salary for an EMT can vary greatly in different locations around the country, and below is a map showing average annual incomes.  

The EMT and Paramedic average salary listed above was below the national average for all occupations, which had a median wage of $37,690/year.  This was also below the average median annual wage for all health technologist and technicians, which had an average median wage of $43,590/year.

Employment opportunities are expected to grow at 15% for EMTs and Paramedics from 2016-2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is far higher than the average for all occupations. 

EMT vs Paramedic Salary

Unfortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not differentiate between Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics in data they provide. To get a better idea of what an EMT or Paramedic makes in your area, I recommend you do some research on your own.  For example, an organization that I recently worked for paid EMTs $15/hour, and Paramedics $19/hour.

To clarify for those who don’t know, a Paramedic requires more training than an EMT, and will earn more money on average.   Most states have 3 levels of EMT 1. EMT 2. Advanced EMT (AEMT) 3. Paramedic.  You need to become an EMT before you begin training as a Paramedic. 

An EMT class takes approximately 4 months to complete, and a Paramedic course is  approximately 1-2 years to complete, but the time it takes to get a certificate varies depending on where you do your training. 

EMT Agencies

There are different types of agencies that you can work for as en EMT, including: State/local governments, hospitals, ambulance services (public and private), and others. 

Many of these organizations offer good benefits (health, retirement, paid time off, etc…) along with your wage, so take that into consideration when comparing an EMT job with other types of employment. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2017 EMTs average wages were as followed for these types of agencies: 

• Hospitals-State, Local, and Private  $35,990/year
• Local Government– (excluding education and hospitals)- $35,620/year
• Ambulance Services– $30,800/year

EMT Work Week

Another thing to consider when you are comparing an EMT job with another is to look at hours worked/week. If you are working for  an ambulance service or a fire department, you may be working an average of 60+ hours/week.  (Many agencies work 24 hours on/48 hours off).

I recently saw a paramedic position posted in my area that advertised over $50,000/year; which was true, but that was because I would have been working an average of 20 hours/week of overtime (making the hourly wage around $15/hour). 

Just keep this in mind if you are comparing this job with one that is 40 hours/week.  Many States are not required to pay over-time to fire department employees that work over 40 hours/week.

EMT vs Other Jobs

I recommend you compare EMT/Paramedic salaries in your location with other healthcare provider salaries.  As stated above, EMTs are paid less than other healthcare technicians on average. 

From my personal experience, I have noticed that individuals with similar amounts of training as a Paramedic earn more money than a Paramedic (i.e. Respiratory Techs, X-ray Techs, Nurses, Surgery techs, etc…).  Many EMT/Paramedics that I know personally need to work overtime to support their families. 

 Some Paramedics go to school to be an RN, and there are gap programs that shorten the time it takes to become an RN if you are already a licensed Paramedic. 

Experience as an EMT and Paramedic is very valuable if you want to become a RN, Physician, Physician Assistant, etc…  You just will not earn as much money as other healthcare technicians do on average.

EMT Jobs

Here are some potential job opportunities for EMTs and Paramedics.  This list does not include all EMT and Paramedic Jobs.  

Ambulance Service

I’ll start with the most obvious.  Depending on where you live, there may be private and public ambulance services available to work for.  Public ambulances (city, county, etc.) usually do more 911 calls than private, but it depends on the location of the job.  Working for is busy ambulance service that runs 911 calls is a great way to get experience if you plan to advance further in the medical field.

Fire Department

Many Fire Departments across the nation require that you have your EMT license before you apply, but some don’t.  If you want to be a Firefighter in the future, it is a good idea to get your EMT license whether they require it or not.  Fire Departments are dispatched to medical calls far more than fire calls.  

Fire Department jobs are very competitive across the nation.   Many Paramedics that I know became a paramedic so they could be more competitive when they applied for a fire department. 

Fire department jobs usually offer good benefits.  You may need to work a 24 hours on/48 hours off schedule while working for a fire department, (average 60 hours a week), and you will probably also be required to come in on days off for training, and may be required to work forced overtime if your department is short-staffed.

Wild-Land Firefighter/EMT

You can become a Wild-Land Firefighter/EMT, and go out with a fire crew as the line EMT, or be dispatched as a single resource to an incident.  There are different agencies that will hire Firefighters/EMTs (Federal, State, and some private).   You will need to become certified as a wild-land firefighter (many agencies pay for this, and may pay you while you take the training).  You may also need to take refresher training every year,

This is a good way to make a lot of money if you have a busy season, but some seasons are better than others.  Your paycheck will depend on how the season went, and it is difficult to have another job at the same time (You will be dispatched with short notice with some agencies).   You can be dispatched for up to 2 weeks at a time (working about 15 hour days), and you may have the option to stay for longer than that if they need you.

Hospital Jobs/Emergency Room Tech

There are a lot of Emergency Room jobs available across the nation available for EMTs.  This is another great way to gain valuable experience as an EMT if you plan on advancing your career in the Medical field.  Many hospitals also hire EMTs for other clinical positions as well. 

A lot of the Emergency Techs that I have known have gone on to become Nurses, Physicians Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Respiratory Techs, Paramedics, etc…

There are a lot of hospitals that offer tuition assistance programs that help you cover the cost of college classes if you choose to take them (example: nursing school).  Hospitals usually have good benefits for their employees as well.

EMT/Security

Some hospitals, casinos, and residential communities hire EMT/Security Officers.  You will usually not get as much medical experience with these jobs as you would working on an ambulance or in an ER.

Flight Medic (Paramedic Only)

There are fixed wing (airplane) and helicopter Paramedic jobs across the nation available.  The crew is usually made up of a Registered Nurse and a Paramedic (and pilot), and transport critical patients.These positions are usually competitive, and they want years of 911 experience with a busy ambulance service. 

Miscellaneous EMT Jobs

There are many other EMT jobs than those listed above.  Ski Resorts, Medical Clinics, Work Sites, Etc… are examples of other EMT Jobs.   You can do a local job search in your area to find EMT jobs available to you.

Conclusion

Becoming an EMT  or Paramedic can be an exciting and rewarding career.  The experience you receive working as an EMT in an emergency environment is very valuable if you want to move up in the medical field.  You should be able to find a stable job if you become an EMT, but you will make less on average than most other Health Care Technician Jobs.  Do some research for the organization you would like to work for, about salary information and hours worked.  Working 24 hour shifts, and maintaining a healthy family life, is difficult for many EMTs and Paramedics.