Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$34,130
- 25th Percentile — Junior$37,960
- 50th Percentile — Median$44,470
- 75th Percentile — Senior$50,100
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$62,500
The top 10% of Emergency Medical Technicians earn $62,500 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $34,130, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $68,110 | +45.4% |
| Alaska | $58,800 | +25.6% |
| Illinois | $56,080 | +19.8% |
| Maryland | $55,790 | +19.1% |
| New Jersey | $55,280 | +18.0% |
| California | $52,900 | +13.0% |
| New York | $52,870 | +12.9% |
| Massachusetts | $52,500 | +12.1% |
| Washington | $52,000 | +11.0% |
| Connecticut | $51,300 | +9.5% |
| Rhode Island | $51,280 | +9.5% |
| District of Columbia | $51,220 | +9.4% |
| Oregon | $50,040 | +6.9% |
| Delaware | $49,420 | +5.5% |
| Nebraska | $48,700 | +4.0% |
| Minnesota | $47,470 | +1.4% |
| Maine | $47,310 | +1.0% |
| New Hampshire | $47,180 | +0.7% |
| Colorado | $46,830 | +0.0% |
| Virginia | $46,370 | -1.0% |
| North Carolina | $45,790 | -2.2% |
| Vermont | $45,650 | -2.5% |
| Wisconsin | $45,170 | -3.5% |
| Wyoming | $45,090 | -3.7% |
| Iowa | $44,970 | -4.0% |
| North Dakota | $44,480 | -5.0% |
| Georgia | $44,240 | -5.5% |
| Indiana | $44,230 | -5.6% |
| Florida | $44,130 | -5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | $43,820 | -6.4% |
| Tennessee | $43,370 | -7.4% |
| Missouri | $43,330 | -7.5% |
| Nevada | $43,050 | -8.1% |
| Ohio | $42,930 | -8.3% |
| Arizona | $42,180 | -9.9% |
| Michigan | $42,180 | -9.9% |
| New Mexico | $42,160 | -10.0% |
| South Carolina | $41,940 | -10.4% |
| Utah | $40,470 | -13.6% |
| Texas | $40,190 | -14.2% |
| Idaho | $39,740 | -15.1% |
| South Dakota | $39,110 | -16.5% |
| Alabama | $39,100 | -16.5% |
| Kentucky | $38,990 | -16.7% |
| Arkansas | $38,230 | -18.4% |
| Kansas | $37,870 | -19.1% |
| Montana | $36,820 | -21.4% |
| Louisiana | $36,770 | -21.5% |
| Mississippi | $36,390 | -22.3% |
| West Virginia | $35,910 | -23.3% |
| Oklahoma | $35,050 | -25.2% |
What Factors Affect Emergency Medical Technicians Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Emergency Medical Technicians is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Hawaii pays an average of $68,110, while Oklahoma pays $35,050 — a gap of $33,060 per year.
The middle half of Emergency Medical Technicians earn between $37,960 and $50,100 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $34,130, while the top 10% earn more than $62,500.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Emergency Medical Technicians?
The average salary for Emergency Medical Technicians in the United States is $46,830 per year, with a median of $44,470.
What is the starting salary for Emergency Medical Technicians?
Entry-level Emergency Medical Technicians typically earn between $34,130 and $37,960 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Emergency Medical Technicians the most?
Hawaii pays Emergency Medical Technicians the most at $68,110 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($58,800) and Illinois ($56,080).
How much do Emergency Medical Technicians make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $46,830, Emergency Medical Technicians earn approximately $22.51 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Emergency Medical Technicians a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 180,510 Emergency Medical Technicians jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $46,830 and a median of $44,470 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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