What Pay Do EMTs Make?
- As of May 2010, the U.S. employed over 220,000 EMTs and paramedics who earned a mean wage of $16.01 an hour for an annual wage of $33,300, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salaries depend on the industry in which the EMT works. For example, EMTs working for state governments -- the highest paying employer -- earn an average of $24.02 an hour and those working in waste treatment and disposal were a close second at $23.97 an hour.
- In general, densely populated metropolitan areas tend to have the most job openings and highest pay for EMTs. In small and rural towns it is common for EMTs to volunteer for the job and only answer a few calls per month. As of 2010, the highest average pay for EMTs is in the District of Columbia with an average wage of $23.97, followed by Alaska at $23.10 an hour and Hawaii at $23.04 an hour. Tacoma, Washington, has the highest mean hourly wage for EMTs in any city at $31.67 an hour, followed by Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, at $29.84 an hour.
- All EMTs must pass state licensing exams, but there are intermediate and advanced EMT licenses. In general, pay rises with experience and as the EMT advances in rank. The most advanced rank an EMT can obtain is to become a paramedic, according to the BLS. Training to become a paramedic usually takes one to two years, while becoming an intermediate paramedic can take between 30 and 350 hours.
- Workers interested in health care often begin training as an EMT to see if they like the field, eventually moving to jobs with more responsibility, such as nurse or doctor. If you want to have the best chance at competing for the highest paying EMT jobs, obtain advanced training. Many community colleges and technical schools offer EMT classes. Governments, fire and police departments and third-party rescue services tend to offer the best pay. Competition for these positions is strong, however.