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.
Paramedic Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Paramedics earn a median of $60,600 per year ($29.13/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.0% through 2034, with about 4,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
SOC 29-2043Healthcare Practitioners and TechnicalLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $60,600
- Projected growth
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 4,900
- Typical education
- Certificate
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: First Responder, Flight Paramedic, Paramedic.
How much do Paramedics make?
10th percentile$44,230
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$49,660
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$60,600
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$73,470
Upper quartile
90th percentile$84,850
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $60,600 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $29.13/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $63,360 |
| People employed | 100,610 |
Versus all US occupations
At $60,600, Paramedics earn 19% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $9,620 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $97,870, this is 38% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $84,850 or more while the bottom 10% earn $44,230, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 43% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $104,310, and still leads at $97,474 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Paramedics the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $104,310 | $97,474 | 2,110 |
| New Jersey | $86,630 | $79,620 | 540 |
| Hawaii | $81,280 | $73,924 | 140 |
| District of Columbia | $78,550 | $71,473 | 90 |
| Connecticut | $77,480 | $74,780 | 1,000 |
| Minnesota | $76,300 | $77,367 | 1,690 |
| Oregon | $74,840 | $72,406 | 1,210 |
| California | $74,590 | $67,368 | 5,190 |
| New York | $73,200 | $67,827 | 6,110 |
| Alaska | $71,860 | $70,204 | 310 |
Is Paramedic a growing career?
Paramedics5.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+5.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Paramedics to change 5.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 5,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,900 openings are projected each year, 4.8% of the 101,900 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of EMTs and paramedics is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, 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.
How to become a Paramedic
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.
| Typical entry-level education | Postsecondary nondegree award |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | Less than 5 years |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What does a Paramedic do?
Administer basic or advanced emergency medical care and assess injuries and illnesses. May administer medication intravenously, use equipment such as EKGs, or administer advanced life support to sick or injured individuals.
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 drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.
- 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.
- Coordinate with treatment center personnel to obtain patients' vital statistics and medical history, to determine the circumstances of the emergency, and to administer emergency treatment.
- Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
- Instruct emergency medical response team about emergency interventions to ensure correct application of procedures.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
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, 2024–2034 edition.
Where paramedics work
| Ambulance services | 45% |
|---|---|
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 26% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals; private | 15% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals; local | 3% |
| Outpatient care centers | 2% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system 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.
What personality type suits a Paramedic?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary5.2
Investigativeprimary5.0
Artistic1.0
Socialprimary5.5
Enterprising1.9
Conventional3.4
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.
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.
Paramedic: frequently asked questions
How much do Paramedics make?
Paramedics earn a median of $60,600 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 19% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $29.13/hr. The middle half earn between $49,660 and $73,470. The top 10% earn $84,850 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Paramedic?
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 Paramedics. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first.
Is Paramedic a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 4,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Paramedic 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 drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Medical software, Object or component oriented development software.
Which states pay Paramedics the most?
The highest state medians for Paramedics are Washington ($104,310), New Jersey ($86,630), Hawaii ($81,280) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Paramedic?
O*NET scores Paramedics 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 923 occupations in the bank.