Emergency Medical Technicians earn a median of $44,470 per year ($21.38/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.8% through 2035, with about 13,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
- SOC 29-2042
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Emergency Medical Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $44,470a year, or $21.38/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $63K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.8%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 13,800181,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025181.9K
- Projected 2035192.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 181.9K Projected 2035 192.5K - Typical education
- Certificateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), First Responder.
Pay
How much do emergency medical technicians make?
Emergency Medical Technicians earn a median of $44,470 a year ($21.38 an hour, or about $3,710 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $34,130 and the top 10% more than $62,500 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Hawaii, with a median of $66,410. See Emergency medical technician salary in Hawaii and every other state. By city, pay is highest around San Jose ($72,700 average): salary in every city. Choosing between jobs? Compare pay side by side in EMT vs Paramedic.
Every emergency medical technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$44,470
Middle half earn $37,960 to $50,100
- 10th
- $34,130
- 25th
- $37,960
- 75th
- $50,100
- 90th
- $62,500
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,130 |
| 25th | $37,960 |
| Median | $44,470 |
| 75th | $50,100 |
| 90th | $62,500 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $44,470
- Median hourly wage
- $21.38/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $46,830
- People employed
- 180,510
Versus all US occupations
At $44,470, Emergency Medical Technicians earn 13% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $6,510 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 57% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $62,500 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,130, a gap of 1.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 11% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Hawaii pays the most at $66,410, and still leads at $60,400 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay emergency medical technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $66,410 | $60,400 | 560 |
| 2Alaska | $57,440 | $56,116 | 310 |
| 3New Jersey | $53,610 | $49,272 | 6,120 |
| 4Washington | $52,690 | $49,237 | 2,940 |
| 5Rhode Island | $51,290 | $50,147 | 430 |
| 6Connecticut | $50,640 | $48,876 | 2,190 |
| 7Massachusetts | $50,230 | $47,496 | 4,550 |
| 8Oregon | $49,270 | $47,668 | 1,970 |
| 9New York | $48,400 | $44,848 | 14,840 |
| 10Maryland | $48,100 | $45,827 | 3,400 |
Job outlook
Is emergency medical technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Emergency Medical Technicians | +5.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Emergency Medical Technicians to change 5.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 10,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 13,800 openings are projected each year, 7.6% of the 181,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of EMTs and paramedics is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Emergencies, such as car crashes, natural disasters, drug abuse incidents, and acts of violence, will continue to require the skills of EMTs and paramedics.
Growth in the middle-aged and older population will lead to an increase in age-related health emergencies, such as falls, heart attacks, and strokes. This increase, in turn, will support demand for EMT and paramedic services.
AI exposure: low
BLS places this occupation in its low relative AI exposure category, among the occupations least exposed to current AI.
Getting in
How to become an emergency medical technician
All states require EMTs to be licensed, and requirements vary by state. The usual route is completing a state-approved EMT course that meets or exceeds the National EMS Education Standards, then passing the National Registry EMT certification examination together with a state-approved BLS skills competency requirement, then applying to the state for the license. BLS notes most states require National Registry certification, while others accept passage of an equivalent state exam.
The credential path, step by step
- Complete a state-approved EMT courseUnder 1 year
The course must meet or exceed the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards. Programs run at technical institutes, community colleges, universities and specialist emergency care training facilities. Applicants usually need a high school diploma or equivalent and CPR and basic life support (BLS) certification, though entry requirements vary by state; courses that do not require them on entry teach them. The National Registry requires the course to have been completed within the past two years.
- Meet the state BLS skills competency requirement
For the EMR and EMT levels the hands-on skills evaluation is established and approved by your State EMS Office rather than by the National Registry.
- Pass the National Registry EMT certification examination
Sit the computer adaptive cognitive exam through Pearson VUE or remote proctoring. Passed exam portions and skills verification stay valid for 24 months while you complete the other eligibility requirements.
- Apply for the state EMS license
All states require EMTs to be licensed. Most require National Registry certification; others require passage of an equivalent state exam. States may add requirements such as a minimum age and a background check.
- Recertify every two years
Complete 40 NCCP continuing education credits across the national, local/state and individual components, or retake the cognitive examination.
- Move up to AEMT or Paramedic if you want to advance
AEMT and Paramedic are separate National Registry certification levels with their own examinations. Paramedic candidates must complete a CAAHEP-accredited Paramedic program or one holding a CoAEMSP Letter of Review, and BLS notes paramedics typically need work experience as an EMT before entering a paramedic program.
Exams you have to pass
National Registry EMT certification examination
A computer adaptive cognitive exam of 70 to 120 items (including 10 pilot/unscored items) with a two-hour limit, covering scene size-up and safety, primary assessment, secondary assessment, patient treatment and transport, and operations. Taken after a state-approved EMT course completed within the past two years. Passed portions and skills competency verification remain valid for 24 months.
Administered by National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, delivered by Pearson VUE or OnVUE remote proctoring.
State EMS Office approved BLS skills competency requirement
The practical skills evaluation for the EMR and EMT levels. The National Registry states this process is established and approved by each state and did not change when the updated BLS certification examinations went live on 7 April 2025. It is a separate requirement from the cognitive exam.
Administered by Each State EMS Office.
- How long the training takes
Under 1 year for EMT
BLS reports most EMT programs lead to a nondegree award and typically take less than 1 year for EMT-Basic certification and up to 2 years for EMT-Intermediate certification. Note that BLS uses the older EMT-Basic and EMT-Intermediate labels while the National Registry certifies at EMR, EMT, AEMT and Paramedic levels. Paramedic programs are longer and may lead to an associate or bachelor's degree.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
National Registry EMTs must renew their certification every two years. The EMT National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) requires 40 credits of continuing education split across three components — national, local/state, and individual. Alternatively an EMT can recertify by retaking the cognitive examination. State license renewal is a separate process set by each state.
- Program accreditation
CoAEMSP · Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions
This gate applies at the Paramedic level, not at EMT level. CoAEMSP is the only organization recognized by CAAHEP to provide accreditation services for Paramedic and, beginning in 2025, AEMT education programs. Since 1 January 2013, initial Paramedic applicants for National EMS Certification must have completed a CAAHEP-accredited Paramedic program or one holding a CoAEMSP Letter of Review. For EMT certification, what is required is a state-approved course, not programmatic accreditation.
- Program accreditation
CAAHEP · Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
The accreditor that recognizes CoAEMSP and confers accreditation on Paramedic education programs.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
The license comes from the state EMS office, not from the National Registry. What differs: whether the state requires National Registry certification or accepts an equivalent state exam; the content and administration of the BLS skills competency requirement, which each state establishes and approves for the EMR and EMT levels; and other conditions such as a minimum age and a background check. The National Registry itself sets no minimum age for national certification. Employers typically require a driver's license and may prefer ambulance driver certification.
Who governs the credential
- National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (National Registry / NREMT)
Issues National EMS Certification at four levels — Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced EMT (AEMT) and Paramedic — through certification examinations and continued competency requirements. It certifies; it does not license. Licensure is a state function.
Credential detail for emergency medical technicians is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, EMTs and Paramedics (How to Become One) · checked August 23, 2026
- National Registry of EMTs, EMT Full Education Program Pathway · checked August 23, 2026
- National Registry of EMTs, The Updated EMR and EMT Certification Examinations · checked August 23, 2026
- National Registry of EMTs, EMT Recertification · checked August 23, 2026
- National Registry of EMTs, Paramedic Program Accreditation Policy · checked August 23, 2026
- CoAEMSP, Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics typically complete a postsecondary educational program. All states require EMTs and paramedics to be licensed in the state in which they work; requirements vary by state.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does an emergency medical technician do?
Assess injuries and illnesses and administer basic emergency medical care. May transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities.
Day-to-day tasks
- Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
- Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
- Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.
- Comfort and reassure patients.
- Communicate with dispatchers or treatment center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of survivors, or to receive instructions for further treatment.
- Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
- Decontaminate ambulance interior following treatment of patient with infectious disease, and report case to proper authorities.
- Drive mobile intensive care unit to specified location, following instructions from emergency medical dispatcher.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Fatal injury rate: 3.3 per 100,000 workers (1.0x the 3.3 average)
BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024, for the group “Emergency medical technicians and paramedics”: 11 deaths that year.
Most EMTs and paramedics work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. Because EMTs and paramedics must be available to work in emergencies, their schedules may vary to include nights, weekends, and holidays. Some EMTs and paramedics work extended shifts, such as ones lasting 12, 18, or 24 hours.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition.
Where emergency medical technicians work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Ambulance services46%
- Local government, excluding education and hospitals24%
- General medical and surgical hospitals; private16%
- General medical and surgical hospitals; local3%
- Outpatient care centers2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Ambulance services | 46% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 24% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals; private | 16% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals; local | 3% |
| Outpatient care centers | 2% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Information retrieval or search software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as an emergency medical technician?
Women make up 40.9% of emergency medical technicians, against 47.1% of all employed people: more men than in the workforce as a whole.
Only 7.4% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 36.3% under 25.
The median worker is 28.7 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 40.9%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 28.7All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 7.4%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 135,000BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of emergency medical technicians | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 40.9% | 47.1% |
| White | 85.8% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.0% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 2.3% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 18.9% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 7.4% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 36.3% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an emergency medical technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Emergency Medical Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Social5.6
- Realistic5.5
- Investigative4.6
- Conventional3.8
- Enterprising1.6
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Emergency Medical Technician
Emergency Medical Technician compared with
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Transportation and Material Moving
Ambulance Driver and Attendant, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
$35,450median a year
Most earn $27K to $46K
−1.3%High school - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technician
$74,310median a year
Most earn $39K to $121K
+3.7%Associate's
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with emergency medical technicians highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
- Emergency Medical Technician$44,470
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
| Emergency Medical Technician | $44,470 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within emergency medical technician
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Emergency Medical Technician appears on
Questions
Emergency Medical Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do emergency medical technicians make?
Emergency Medical Technicians earn a median of $44,470 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 13% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $21.38/hr. The middle half earn between $37,960 and $50,100. The top 10% earn $62,500 or more.
How much do emergency medical technicians make an hour?
The median hourly wage for emergency medical technicians is $21.38 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $44,470 annual median works out to about $3,710 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for an emergency medical technician?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of emergency medical technicians earn less than $34,130 a year and the bottom quarter less than $37,960 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Which states pay emergency medical technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Emergency Medical Technicians are Hawaii ($66,410), Alaska ($57,440), New Jersey ($53,610) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What kind of emergency medical technician earns the most?
BLS does not split emergency medical technicians' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $62,500, against a median of $44,470 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Hawaii ($66,410), Alaska ($57,440), New Jersey ($53,610). BLS also counts a specialty career inside this occupation (wilderness EMT), which shares its federal pay figures.
Do you need a degree to become an emergency medical technician?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Emergency Medical Technicians.
Is emergency medical technician a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.8% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 13,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an emergency medical technician do?
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics assess injuries and illnesses, provide emergency medical care, and may transport patients to medical facilities. A core O*NET task: administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
What personality type suits an emergency medical technician?
O*NET scores Emergency Medical Technicians highest on the Social, Realistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
How long does it take to become an emergency medical technician?
Under 1 year for EMT. BLS reports most EMT programs lead to a nondegree award and typically take less than 1 year for EMT-Basic certification and up to 2 years for EMT-Intermediate certification. Note that BLS uses the older EMT-Basic and EMT-Intermediate labels while the National Registry certifies at EMR, EMT, AEMT and Paramedic levels. Paramedic programs are longer and may lead to an associate or bachelor's degree.
Do you need a license to work as an emergency medical technician?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. The license comes from the state EMS office, not from the National Registry. What differs: whether the state requires National Registry certification or accepts an equivalent state exam; the content and administration of the BLS skills competency requirement, which each state establishes and approves for the EMR and EMT levels; and other conditions such as a minimum age and a background check. The National Registry itself sets no minimum age for national certification. Employers typically require a driver's license and may prefer ambulance driver certification.
What exams do you have to pass to become an emergency medical technician?
The National Registry EMT certification examination and the State EMS Office approved BLS skills competency requirement. A computer adaptive cognitive exam of 70 to 120 items (including 10 pilot/unscored items) with a two-hour limit, covering scene size-up and safety, primary assessment, secondary assessment, patient treatment and transport, and operations. Taken after a state-approved EMT course completed within the past two years. Passed portions and skills competency verification remain valid for 24 months.
What percentage of emergency medical technicians are women?
Women make up 40.9% of emergency medical technicians, against 47.1% of all employed people: more men than in the workforce as a whole. Only 7.4% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 36.3% under 25. The median worker is 28.7 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.