how much do emts make in california

How Much Do EMTs Make In California? [2024 Updated]

Are you thinking about becoming an EMT in California or simply curious about the EMT salary? In this post, you'll learn how much do EMTs make in California.

Updated at May 9, 2022

EMTs are essential professionals in medical care and provide a critical emergency medical service to those in need. Where can EMTs in California work is varied based on state and they are paid differently based on where they work and what role they play? In this article, you’ll find out all the information about how much EMTs make in California

What are the different levels of EMTs?

EMT licenses are granted by the California Emergency Medical Services Authority based on their degree of expertise and work experience. There are three levels of EMTs: EMT, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic.

An EMT’s salary is determined by their level of training and experience. Both EMTs and AEMTs are credentialed emergency medical technicians with a similar scope of practice.

If you want to get more information about which jobs you can get with EMTs, you can try to visit our blog.

How much do EMTs make in California?

how much do emts make in california

The EMT Salaries are slightly higher than the national average. According to the 2010 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nationwide median wage for EMTs is $34,030, while the typical compensation for an EMT in California is $36,490. Salaries vary depending on where an EMT works in California. EMTs in Los Angeles can expect to make $33,116 on average. EMTs in San Francisco, California, make a median pay of $36,228 per year. EMTs in Fresno, California, may expect to make slightly less, on average $31,022.

In California, the average hourly wage for an emergency medical technician is $19.03

Top 5 companies for EMTs in California

Porterville College

$60

BestNest Management

$36.89

Washington Hospital Healthcare System

$32.71

Acadian Ambulance Service

$31.26

Fire Department of New York

$30.73

Top 8 highest paying cities for EMTs in California

Bakersfield, CA

$23.49

San Jose, CA

$21.98

Hayward, CA

$19.67

Los Angeles, CA 

$19.44

San Diego. CA

$18.58

Brea, CA

$18.57

Orange, CA

$18.37

Van Nuys, CA

$18.23

EMT-basic salary in California

how much do emts make in california

In California, the average hourly wage for an EMT-basic is $15.70. 

Maybe you also care about the average EMT salary in every state.

Top 5 companies for EMT-basics in California

Extraordinary Headhunters LLC

$22.73

Octapharma

$22.39

McCall Ambulance

$21.84

Acadian Ambulance Service

$21.28

Proof Positive Consulting

$21.22

Top 8 highest paying cities for EMT-basics in California

San Leandro, CA

$18.78

San Diego, CA

$17.34

Sacramento, CA

$17.08

Carlsbad, CA

$17.08

Carson, CA

$17.00

Los Angeles, CA

$16.91

Concord, CA

$15.81

Van Nuys, CA

$15.80

Top 5 best paying related EMT jobs in California

California EMTs can choose from a range of career paths. Some EMTs opt to work as ambulance drivers or in public parks for the government. In California, EMTs can be seen working as part of the triage team in schools, hospitals, and doctor’s offices. EMTs are paid differently based on where they work in the neighborhood. All EMTs contribute to the efficiency of the healthcare system by providing crucial emergency care prior to and during transfer to the hospital. Advanced emergency medical technicians (AEMTs) and paramedics are the highest-paid emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

There are at least 5 jobs in the EMT field that pay more per year than the average EMT income in California. Contract Traveling EMT, Critical Care Transport EMT, and Urgent Care EMT are just a few examples of these positions.

Importantly, all of these positions pay anywhere from $42,772 (138.6%) to $84,883 (275.0%) more than the average EMT income of $30,869. If you’re qualified, applying for one of these related EMT jobs could help you earn more money than the average EMT.

Contract Traveling EMT

$115,751/ year

$55.65/ hour

Critical Care Transport EMT

$96,755/ year

$46.52/ hour

Urgent Care EMT

$96,253/ year

$46.28/ hour

Emergency Room EMT

$75,163/ year

$36.14/ hour

Work From Home Critical Care Transport EMT

$73,640/ year

$35.40/ hour

Read more: How To Become An EMT In California?

EMT training in CA

how much do emts make in california

Colleges, technical or vocational schools, and business entities such as hospitals in California offer EMT training. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT), which controls the national standards for EMTs, requires that training programs adhere to California laws and regulations concerning EMT training programs.

Basic life support, patient assessment, transportation, advanced first aid themes, and other essential issues required for safe entry into the field are covered in 120 contact hours and 10 clinical hours of EMT training in California. When an EMT student completes the program, he or she is qualified to take the National Registry EMT certification examinations, which lead to California licensing.

Let’s get started with our free EMT practice test to pass the actual exam with a high score.

AEMT training in California requires an additional 88 contact and clinical hours, which must be performed both in the hospital and in the field. All clinical experiences must be completed under the supervision of a registered instructor or EMT. Advanced training in medicine administration, intravenous infusions and fluids, and the expanded scope of an AEMT are all included in AEMT training. Passing the NREMT Advanced certification exam, as well as submitting an application for licensing, are required for AEMT certification.

That’s all! We hope that with this article, you can get a grasp of how much do EMTs make in California and know some of the best places to work as an EMT.