EMT salary by percentile
Half of the 180,510 emergency medical technicians in the U.S. earn more than $44,470, and the middle half earn $37,960 to $50,100.[onet_emt][oews][oews_api] BLS splits EMTs (SOC 29-2042) and paramedics (SOC 29-2043) into separate occupations, so these figures do not mix the two levels.[sum_emt][sum_para]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,130 | $16.41 | $29,603 |
| 25th | $37,960 | $18.25 | $32,681 |
| Median (50th) | $44,470 | $21.38 | $37,912 |
| 75th | $50,100 | $24.09 | $42,435 |
| 90th | $62,500 | $30.05 | $52,399 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
EMT pay starts low: the 10th percentile, $34,130, is $16.41 an hour. Volunteer squads, private transport companies, fire departments and hospital-based services all hire EMTs, and the BLS sample covers only paid employees, so volunteer positions are not part of the range.
EMT hourly pay and 24-hour shifts
EMT hourly pay is $21.38 at the median, $16.41 at the 10th percentile and $30.05 at the 90th.[onet_emt] The yearly figures assume 40 hours a week, but many ambulance services schedule 24-hour shifts that add up to 48 or 56 hours a week.[oews_faq] Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, covered hourly employees generally earn at least time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek; special rules apply to some public-agency fire and emergency employees, so check how your employer counts hours.[dol_ot]
| Weekly hours | Straight-time only | With time and a half after 40 h |
|---|---|---|
| 40 h | $44,470 | $44,470 |
| 48 h | $53,364 | $57,811 |
| 56 h | $62,258 | $71,152 |
The middle column is how BLS would count it; the last column is the arithmetic if every hour over 40 earns time and a half. Enter your own rate and hours in the calculator to see the take-home result.
EMT salary by state
Hawaii pays EMTs the most ($66,410 median), followed by Alaska ($57,440), New Jersey ($53,610) and Washington ($52,690); Oklahoma is lowest at $34,170.[onet_emt]
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hawaii | $66,410 | $31.93 | $51,140 | $84,620 |
| 2. Alaska | $57,440 | $27.62 | $44,400 | $81,150 |
| 3. New Jersey | $53,610 | $25.77 | $45,550 | $64,740 |
| 4. Washington | $52,690 | $25.33 | $37,290 | $60,960 |
| 5. Rhode Island | $51,290 | $24.66 | $39,360 | $61,160 |
| 6. Connecticut | $50,640 | $24.35 | $40,160 | $59,610 |
| 7. Massachusetts | $50,230 | $24.15 | $40,140 | $69,830 |
| 8. Oregon | $49,270 | $23.69 | $37,600 | $63,430 |
| 9. New York | $48,400 | $23.27 | $39,890 | $69,210 |
| 10. Maryland | $48,100 | $23.13 | $39,960 | $85,290 |
| 11. Minnesota | $48,090 | $23.12 | $31,340 | $59,220 |
| 12. Wyoming | $47,070 | $22.63 | $30,480 | $53,930 |
| 13. Delaware | $46,790 | $22.50 | $39,060 | $57,660 |
| 14. New Hampshire | $46,790 | $22.50 | $37,320 | $59,670 |
| 15. District of Columbia | $46,650 | $22.43 | $39,310 | $73,670 |
| 16. California | $46,380 | $22.30 | $38,740 | $78,150 |
| 17. Maine | $46,340 | $22.28 | $38,210 | $58,100 |
| 18. Colorado | $45,750 | $22.00 | $38,370 | $58,320 |
| 19. Vermont | $45,600 | $21.92 | $36,770 | $57,700 |
| 20. Georgia | $45,550 | $21.90 | $33,910 | $52,600 |
| 21. Virginia | $45,420 | $21.84 | $36,540 | $59,180 |
| 22. North Carolina | $44,250 | $21.27 | $35,190 | $59,750 |
| 23. Pennsylvania | $43,310 | $20.82 | $34,480 | $54,370 |
| 24. Wisconsin | $43,060 | $20.70 | $33,550 | $60,910 |
| 25. Indiana | $42,740 | $20.55 | $36,170 | $50,640 |
| 26. Illinois | $42,260 | $20.32 | $36,420 | $135,490 |
| 27. Missouri | $42,160 | $20.27 | $34,390 | $58,090 |
| 28. Nebraska | $41,710 | $20.05 | $35,060 | $68,670 |
| 29. Iowa | $40,660 | $19.55 | $35,600 | $60,080 |
| 30. South Carolina | $40,370 | $19.41 | $31,590 | $49,210 |
| 31. Tennessee | $40,330 | $19.39 | $29,720 | $59,370 |
| 32. Ohio | $40,220 | $19.34 | $34,940 | $53,960 |
| 33. Florida | $39,870 | $19.17 | $34,120 | $59,000 |
| 34. Michigan | $39,870 | $19.17 | $35,360 | $49,620 |
| 35. North Dakota | $39,670 | $19.07 | $31,890 | $54,100 |
| 36. Arizona | $39,500 | $18.99 | $33,860 | $50,790 |
| 37. Utah | $38,930 | $18.72 | $31,410 | $48,240 |
| 38. Idaho | $38,840 | $18.67 | $27,180 | $51,140 |
| 39. Alabama | $37,810 | $18.18 | $28,620 | $51,160 |
| 40. Nevada | $37,560 | $18.06 | $29,060 | $59,000 |
| 41. New Mexico | $37,550 | $18.05 | $32,370 | $55,500 |
| 42. Texas | $37,260 | $17.91 | $30,320 | $52,160 |
| 43. Kentucky | $36,800 | $17.69 | $29,800 | $49,950 |
| 44. South Dakota | $36,800 | $17.69 | $31,130 | $48,460 |
| 45. Mississippi | $36,630 | $17.61 | $26,760 | $48,290 |
| 46. Arkansas | $36,230 | $17.42 | $28,370 | $49,910 |
| 47. Montana | $36,140 | $17.38 | $27,280 | $46,310 |
| 48. Louisiana | $35,870 | $17.25 | $27,390 | $46,460 |
| 49. Kansas | $35,780 | $17.20 | $28,560 | $53,710 |
| 50. West Virginia | $34,360 | $16.52 | $29,120 | $45,350 |
| 51. Oklahoma | $34,170 | $16.43 | $27,840 | $45,630 |
Highest-paying metro areas for EMTs
The best-paying area for EMTs is Lexington Park, MD, at a $68,160 median. Unlike most health jobs, the top of the list is scattered across the country instead of concentrated in California.[onet_emt]
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Lexington Park, MD | $68,160 | $32.77 | $36,960 | $68,160 |
| 2. Urban Honolulu, HI | $67,050 | $32.24 | $51,910 | $84,620 |
| 3. Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $63,350 | $30.46 | $52,060 | $82,800 |
| 4. Redding, CA | $60,120 | $28.90 | $35,020 | $79,820 |
| 5. South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $58,530 | $28.14 | $37,370 | $76,590 |
| 6. Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $56,430 | $27.13 | $46,160 | $73,280 |
| 7. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $55,700 | $26.78 | $49,520 | $61,120 |
| 8. Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $54,990 | $26.44 | $44,810 | $63,610 |
| 9. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $54,650 | $26.27 | $46,430 | $94,100 |
| 10. Bismarck, ND | $53,940 | $25.93 | $36,910 | $64,730 |
EMT vs paramedic pay
Paramedics earn $60,600 at the median, $16,130 (36%) more than EMTs.[onet_para] The difference is wider at the top of the range: $84,850 against $62,500 at the 90th percentile.
| Percentile | EMT | Paramedic | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,130 | $44,230 | +$10,100 |
| 25th | $37,960 | $49,660 | +$11,700 |
| Median | $44,470 | $60,600 | +$16,130 |
| 75th | $50,100 | $73,470 | +$23,370 |
| 90th | $62,500 | $84,850 | +$22,350 |
The step up takes a paramedic program on top of EMT certification; scope, training and pay are compared side by side on EMT vs paramedic. Paramedic pay by state is on paramedic salary, and the cost of the EMT course, the national exam and paramedic school is worked out on EMT certification cost. For other entry-level health careers, see the allied health salary comparison.
Frequently asked questions
How much do EMTs make?
$44,470 a year at the national median (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $37,960 to $50,100.
How much do EMTs make an hour?
$21.38 at the median, from $16.41 at the 10th percentile to $30.05 at the 90th, before overtime.
Which state pays EMTs the most?
Hawaii ($66,410 median), then Alaska and New Jersey. Oklahoma pays the least.
Do paramedics make more than EMTs?
Yes. The paramedic median is $60,600, which is $16,130 more than the EMT median.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-2042.00 Emergency Medical Technicians (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS national employment and wage series, May 2025 (BLS Public Data API, series OEUN0000000000000
01 and 13) - OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Summary Report for 29-2042.00 Emergency Medical Technicians (sample job titles)
- Summary Report for 29-2043.00 Paramedics (sample job titles)
- Local Wages: 29-2043.00 Paramedics (state and metro percentiles)
- Overtime Pay (Fair Labor Standards Act)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)