What Is The Average EMT Salary In Every State [2024 Updated]

In this article, we will provide beneficial information about how much an EMT makes and the average EMT salary by State. Follow this article to know more now!

Updated at March 13, 2023

EMTs are essential to the healthcare sector. They are the first individuals on the scene in emergency medical crises, helping to save lives. Although EMTs may not earn as much as paramedics, there is always a big need for them. We will address all of your queries on the average EMT salary by State and the payroll of EMTs in this blog.

average emt salary by state

What does an EMT do?

Emergency Medical Technicians, also known as EMTs, are the first responders at the scene of an emergency such as serious accidents or injuries. Hospitals, fire departments, police departments, or private ambulance services are some places where EMTs probably work.

There, they are in charge of assessing and treating patients in emergencies so that patients’ conditions can be stabilized long enough while they are being given to the hospital. Maintaining a patient’s airway, addressing bleeding, and preventing shock are several vital treatments EMTs can take care of on the spot.

To get more information about the job you can do with EMTs, you can try to visit our blog.

Do Paramedics make more than an EMT?

EMTs’ main duties are assessing and stabilizing patients’ conditions by providing them with some basic life-saving treatments. On the other hand, paramedics who are licensed medical providers have the right to apply more advanced life-saving measures such as using a defibrillator, administering drugs, inserting an IV line, and intubating a patient.

To become paramedics, students must study both basic and advanced EMT studies. They also have to finish the supplementary courses and on-job training as well. It means that Paramedics require higher education and more experience, so they can earn more than EMTs.

Read more: The difference between an EMT and a Paramedic

How much does an EMT make?

While paramedics can earn $40,000 as the annual average salary, EMTs earn between $33,000 to $50,000 per year on average. However, EMT salary can be affected by many other factors including the state of the employment and the company a person works for.

How much does an EMT Basic make in an hour?

According to Salary.com, the average annual salaries of EMTs are between $32,860 and $40,760 nationwide. Therefore, they can earn an average of $16 to $20 per hour.

Where do EMTs get paid the most?

how much an EMT makes

Like other careers, EMTs get paid the most in areas with high demand for their services. However, before seeking a job with a high-paid salary at a new place, you should also consider the course of living there, such as the costs of housing, travel, food, and other commodities. When considering these things, you may realize that the high wages offered to tend to be lower ones.

Zip recruiter’s report, which is confirmed by the Bureau of Labour Statistics, showed that New York is the place where EMTs get the highest-paid. The average salary of an EMT there is $15.78 per hour, so they can earn the average salary of $32,823.

Average EMT salary by state

Below are average estimates of wages as reported by Zip Recruiter, ranked from highest to lowest.

No.StateThe lowest salaryThe highest salaryThe average salary 
Per hourAnnually
1New York$24,622$42,678$15.78$32,823
2Massachusetts$24,419$42,326$15.52$32,286
3Washington$22,398$38,822$15.52$32,286
4New Hampshire$23,958$41,427$15.21$31,643
5Hawaii$22,549$39,085$15.01$31,226
6Maryland$22,780$39,484$14.49$30,131
7Connecticut$22,431$38,880$14.48$30,122
8Rhode Island$21,656$37,537$14.36$28,877
9Alaska$22,500$39,000$14.35$29,838
10Vermont$22,532$39,055$14.29$29,715
11Nebraska$22,562$39,107$14.27$29,677
12Nevada$22,500$39,000$14.23$29,677
13North Dakota$22,500$39,000$14.18$29,492
14Wyoming$22,500$39,000$14.17$29,467
15California$22,466$38,942$14.14$29,419
16Virginia$22,029$38,182$14.08$29,288
17Kentucky$20,910$36,243$13.80$28,699
18South Dakota$21,223$36,787$13.76$28,631
19New Jersey$21,521$37,303$13.74$28,569
20West Virginia$21,770$37,735$13.72$28,534
21Pennsylvania$21,328$36,968$13.65$28,396
22South Carolina$21,220$36,781$13.58$28,249
23Minnesota$21,146$36,653$13.57$28,223
24Oregon$21,214$36,771$13.54$28,155
25Delaware$21,251$36,835$13.53$28,151
26Colorado$21,383$37,065$13.52$28,114
27Tennessee$21,166$36,687$13.52$28,1114
28Montana$22,500$39,000$13.51$28,093
29Ohio$20,914$36,251$13.43$27,929
30Wisconsin$20,509$35,549$13.40$27,862
31Arizona$21,222$36,785$13.37$27,804
32Kansas$20,695$35,871$13.31$27,684
33Utah$21,077$36,534$13.30$27,672
34Indiana$20,840$36,122$13.28$27,626
35Oklahoma$20,781$36,022$13.26$27,582
36Idaho$22,500$39,000$13.22$27,504
37Maine$20,468$35,477$13.21$27,483
38Louisiana$20,678$35,843$13.16$27,372
39Iowa$20,616$35,734$13.02$27,090
40Georgia$20,107$34,851$12.90$26,822
41Texas$20,231$35,068$12.75$26,514
42Arkansas$20,216$35,041$12.68$26,370
43Alabama$20,132$34,895$12.59$26,195
44New Mexico$19,900$34,492$12.72$26,457
45Michigan$19,719$34,181$12.69$26,390
46Illinois$19,712$34,168$12.61$26,227
47Mississippi$19,826$34,366$12.47$25,930
48Missouri$19,445$33,705$12.44$25,869
49Florida$18,972$32,883$12.15$25,281
50North Carolina$17,455$30,256$11.57$25,072

It’s a well-known fact that EMT jobs are not as lucrative as they might seem. There are a few reasons why the EMT salary is so low.
Firstly, becoming an EMT is widely known as the first and fundamental step to getting to a better job or a better life. Therefore, a lot of people take an EMT course and exam first, but not all of them work as EMTs for their whole life, many EMTs then access higher education to become licensed paramedics or doctors and other higher-paid medical professionals.

Why is EMT pay so low?

Another reason why EMTs are paid so low is they are often seen as a public service. They can work for government-funded positions that do not always pay well, or they can work privately and get paid less than their counterparts in other medical fields.

Last but not least, in some rural areas, volunteers are often in charge of EMTs’ roles. This means that it will be harder for EMTs to earn a wage because there are so many people who are ready to do this job for free.

Are EMTs in demand?

The need for emergency medical care is largely stable, just like for all other medical specialties. From 2018 to 2028, it is projected to rise by 7%. This rate of growth is faster than that of all other professions. So, it would be simple to acquire employment as an EMT. 

In conclusion, being an EMT is not difficult. The required training can be completed rapidly, and those who go through this process are likely to swiftly obtain employment. We have created the EMT practice test website to assist you in strengthening your comprehension of all EMT knowledge areas so that you can succeed in your EMT career.

You have access to thousands of free EMT-B practice questions and EMT complete tests. Don’t hesitate and jump right in! 

EMT vs Paramedic: What Is The Difference?

This article is going to indicate the difference between EMT vs Paramedic, what these careers entail and how they differ from one another. Follow this now!

Updated at March 13, 2023

An EMT or paramedic career may be the best fit for you if you’re interested in a profession that involves saving lives. What these jobs entail and how they differ from one another will be explained in this blog post. We will also discuss the certification requirements so that you can begin your path to this fulfilling career.

The level of education and patient care are the two main differences when it comes to EMT vs Paramedic. An EMT cannot give the same degree of treatment for patients as a paramedic, who often has greater training.

What are they?

EMTs are also known as Emergency Medical Technicians, they are the person who will be providing pre-hospital care and who are typically the first person on the scene.

Paramedics, also known as Emergency Medical Technicians with Advanced Life Support training, have more advanced skills than an EMT, such as suturing wounds and administering IV drugs. They can provide both basic and advanced life support services for patients in emergency situations.

Where do they work?

Some places where EMTs can often work are ambulance services, governments, hospitals, fire departments, and hospital departments. In these places, a medical director or physician supervises their work and they have a limited scope of practice.

On the other hand, Paramedics most commonly are employed by emergency medical services (EMS). There, they can work with EMTs, but the number of Paramedics is often larger than EMTs. Besides, Paramedics can also work for air ambulances and fire services.

Maybe you care about the salary of an EMT.

emt vs paramedic

The difference in typical responsibilities between EMT vs Paramedic

As the first responders to an emergency situation, EMTs have some duties such as responding to 911 calls for emergency medical technicians, assessing patients, helping them stabilize, and treating them on the way to hospitals or between facilities. Some of the treatments they can do within their scope of practice are using a backboard and restrains to keep the patients still and safe in the ambulance during transport, providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), bandaging wounds, and controlling external bleeding, preventing shock and further injury in patients. They also must maintain patient records, and inform the hospital about the injury or illness, the number of patients being transported, and the expected time of arrival.

In addition to some EMTs’ basic duties, Paramedics can take more advanced practices. For instance, they might provide additional treatment to the patient during transport, such as intravenous (IV) medications or fluid replacement. They can also use more advanced equipment in order to treat patients who have been injured severely enough that they need surgery and are transported by helicopter.

Education and experience requirements

If you want to become an EMT, having a high school diploma or GED is sufficient. You do not need an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. However, completing an EMT training program that is offered by community colleges and vocational schools is a must. Such programs often are completed in 150 hours. In addition, to become a successful EMT, students must also pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) cognitive exam.

The highest level of EMTs is Paramedics which is why becoming a Paramedic requires more education than becoming an EMT. Students must finish basic and advanced EMT training courses and additional studies. Generally, they also have to work as EMTs for one to two years to gain experience. Students must also take EMT courses at a college or university. These programs typically last between two and four years. That depends on the school’s curriculum, which ranges from 100 to 200-course hours. Paramedics are required to be certified by the National Board for Certification of Emergency Medical Technicians (NBCET).

You can get more about NREMT Skills Sheets in our blog.

Certification and license

Obtaining CPR certification is a must for anyone who wants to become an EMT because only a person who possesses CPR certification can enroll in an EMT training program. Many organizations provide students with that certification such as the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. Another certification students must take to become an EMT is the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification. NREMT certification is the guarantee of a student’s competence and almost every state requires it for becoming a licensed emergency medical technician. The EMT must be at least 18 years old and should have a valid driver’s license to receive an NREMT license.

In order to become a Paramedic, you are required to obtain all the licenses as an EMT. In addition, Paramedics must pass the NBCET Exam and also be licensed by their state. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) administers this exam which is a two-part assessment that consists of an essay test and a computerized practical examination where students are required to perform skills such as cardiac monitoring, and intravenous fluid administration, and airway management.

How do you become an EMT?

Steps for Becoming an EMT:

  • 18 years old or older with a valid driver’s license.
  • Complete your basic educational requirements – a high school diploma or GED.
  • Gain CPR certification from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
  • Take the NREMT exam and get your certification once you pass it.
  • You can take boot camp to become certified but this is not mandatory in most states. This usually takes about three weeks).

To get more information about the way to become an EMT, you can try to visit our blog.

How do you become a paramedic?

You have to meet the following requirements:

  • 18 years old or older with a valid driver’s license.
  • Complete your basic educational requirements – a high school diploma or GED.
  • Gain CPR certification from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association if you want to work as an EMT and not be limited to just paramedics (this usually takes about three weeks).
  • Take the NREMT exam and get your certification once you pass it.
  • Get a job as an EMT for at least two years. This will give you more experience in emergency medical situations.
  • Complete paramedic school (this usually takes about six months).

Visit our blog if you are interested in how to become a paramedic. 

In short, a paramedic has greater training than an EMT, which is the main distinction between the two professions. A paramedic administers basic life support (BLS), along with advanced cardiac care, including giving patients medicines and conducting endotracheal intubation (EIT).

We advise using our free EMT practice test if you plan to take the EMT-B exam. You may prepare for your upcoming exam to the fullest extent possible with the help of thousands of free EMT practice questions and our innovative gamified learning approach. Take it!

NREMT Skills Sheets | What You Need To Know In 2024

The NREMT Skills Sheets are a must-have for NREMT candidates to successfully pass the NREM examination. Follow this article to know more about this now!

Updated at March 13, 2023

For NREMT candidates preparing for the NREMT exam, NREMT Skills Sheets are a must. This NREMT study guide includes all of the NREMT practical tips and knowledge required to pass the NREM exam. You may also use our free EMT practice test in conjunction with these documents to ensure that you are fully prepared for your upcoming big day.

Firstly, you must pass both the cognitive exam and the psychomotor exam to qualify and get your EMS national certification. Because you must present the same information across the board, remember to contact your course instructor to walk you through the steps of scheduling your exam before taking your practical exam. The National Registry does not administer the psychomotor exam. This exam is administered by your State EMS Office, so it varies between states how and where you will test.

Secondly, you must be acknowledged that you have completed your program and had comprehensive psychomotor knowledge from your program director before you sign up for the exam for advanced levels of the practical exam, AEMT and Paramedic. In addition, you must obtain a PATT letter (Psychomotor Authorization to Test) and remember to maintain your PATT number, and bring a copy of the letter to the exam.

The following PDF documents give a comprehensive checklist of each skill presented, they are taken from the National Registry website. Please remember that “the State EMS Office or training institution may use different forms and the following performance lists are just a guide for the verification of required skills.” You can find out more information on the NREMT website.

EMR Skills Sheets

  1. Patient Assessment/Management – Trauma (Download PDF)
  2. Patient Assessment/Management – Medical (Download PDF)
  3. Oxygen Administration by Non-Rebreather Mask (Download PDF)
  4. Cardiac Arrest Management/AED (Download PDF)
  5. BVM Ventilation of an Apneic Adult Patient (Download PDF)

EMT Skills Sheets

  1. Patient Assessment/Management – Trauma (Download PDF)
  2. Patient Assessment/Management – Medical (Download PDF)
  3. Oxygen Administration by Non-Rebreather Mask (Download PDF)
  4. Spinal Immobilization (Seated Patient) (Download PDF)
  5. BVM Ventilation of an Apneic Adult Patient (Download PDF)
  6. Spinal Immobilization (Supine Patient) (Download PDF)
  7. Cardiac Arrest Management/AED (Download PDF)
  8. Bleeding Control/Shock Management (Download PDF)
  9. Joint Immobilization (Download PDF)
  10. Long Bone Immobilization (Download PDF)

Read more: How To Become An EMT In 2024?

AEMT Skills Sheets

  1. Patient Assessment – Trauma (Download PDF)
  2. Patient Assessment – Medical (Download PDF)
  3. Supraglottic Airway Device (Download PDF)
  4. Pediatric Respiratory Compromise (Download PDF)
  5. Cardiac Arrest Management (Download PDF)
  6. Intravenous Therapy – Bolus (Download PDF)
  7. Pediatric Intraosseous Infusion (Download PDF)
  8. Spinal Immobilization – Supine (Download PDF)
  9. Spinal Immobilization Seated Patient (Download PDF)
  10. Long Bone Immobilization (Download PDF)
  11. Joint Immobilization (Download PDF)
  12. Bleeding Control Shock Management (Download PDF)

Paramedic

  1. Patient Assessment – Trauma (Download PDF)
  2. Dynamic Cardiology (Download PDF)
  3. Static Cardiology (Download PDF)
  4. Oral Station (Download PDF)
  5. Oral Stations Template (Download PDF)
  6. Oral Station Sample Scenario (Download PDF)
  7. Integrated Out-of-Hospital Scenario (Download PDF)

Read more: How To Become A Paramedic In 2024?

Finally, we sincerely hope that these NREMT Skills Sheets make it simpler for you to achieve your desired objectives!

What Jobs Can You Get With EMT Basic?

What jobs you can get with EMT Basic? The answer is there are plenty of jobs that EMTs qualified professionals can apply for. Follow this article to know more!

Updated at March 13, 2023

What do you want to do with your life? What are your dreams and goals for the future? What career path would make you happy and fulfilled in this world? What if I told you that there is more than one way to achieve that goal of a fulfilling job. What if I told you that it doesn’t matter what college degree or professional license you hold because an EMT certification can open up many doors for jobs! In this blog post, we will explore what types of jobs are available to those who have obtained an EMT certification.

Many people often feel depressed after doing a certain job for a long time. Then they want to seek a new job, a new environment to experience and develop themself. So are EMTs, many of them want to try their hand in another field after years of working as EMTs. However, they don’t want to give up the skills they already have as EMTs, they want to use them in a different way. And then the question arises “What Jobs Can You Get with EMT Basic?” and the answer is there are plenty of jobs that EMT qualified professionals can apply for.

The following career list is some of the best choices for them. Although these careers probably require further training and education before you can apply, they are jobs where your EMTs certification is seen as an asset, and the skills you have are extremely useful.

Maybe you want to know about the average EMT salary in every state.

What Jobs Can You Get with EMT Basic?

Firefighter

In almost all areas, firefighters now have more duties than just putting out the fire. Because there is the fact that the calls firefighters run for emergency medical services account for 65% or even more of the total calls. Therefore, it is essential for firefighters to have the skills of EMTs or Paramedics. It also means that a certified EMT with a lot of experience can easily be hired as a firefighter. Though EMTs must complete some additional training courses to well perform some other roles such as fire suppression, rescue, and fire alarms as a firefighter. Sometimes, these courses are provided in the fire academy after you get hired.

Typically, if salaried, this job pays around $23 an hour or $47,500 a year.

Industrial medic

If you want to work as Industrial Medic, you can easily get that job because an industrial medic has the same skill requirements as an EMT. You will work in massive factories where there are a lot of injuries and illnesses. The only thing you will need to have in order to work as an industrial medic is a basic EMT certification. However, you can earn more and have great career prospects if you have a Paramedic certification. Though you can still work as EMT, you only with people who work for the company. In contrast, as an industrial medic, you can work in factories or industrial areas.

Typically, if salaried, this job pays around $24 an hour or $48,000 a year.

Offshore Medic

Another job that pays higher salaries and easily seeks for it is an offshore medic. If you have a paramedic or nursing qualification, you can try this career. Though this is hard work but better compensated than most EMT work. You will work on an oil rig with often 12 hours shifts and 12 hours off and probably lasts for 3 months. Nevertheless, for every week on the rig, you can get one onshore without doing anything.

Typically, if salaried, this job pays around $33 an hour or $70,000 a year.

Emergency dispatcher

If you wonder can you work as an emergency dispatcher or not, the answer is absolute can. The duty of the emergency dispatcher is to handle 911 calls. Then allocate the resulting work to the right people to handle the current emergency. Therefore, the biggest skill an emergency dispatcher needs to have is timely information gathering. In addition, with your experiences as an EMT, you will know exactly what kind of information you need to get.

This career is available from individuals to networked communications hubs serving all services. And, if you are hired, it usually pays around $20 an hour or $41,000 a year.

Emergency room technician

If you no longer want to work as an EMT outside of the hospital, you can consider working in an emergency room (ERT). The patients will come to you when you work in an ERT instead of you have to going outside to work. This is the biggest difference between an EMT and ERT. This sort of work is also available in an emergency room in the country, and your EMT certification equivalent to an ERT certificate.

Typically, if you work as an ERT, you will be paid around $31 an hour or $64,000 a year.

Read more: How To Become An EMT In 2024?

Contract medic

Normally, companies only need to hire contract medics at some certain time of the year. It is when they have concert venues or cruise ships. However, you tend to be paid more when working as a contract medic comparing to the ordinary EMT. Though contract medic probably results in fewer periods of activity, it is necessary for you to keep finding additional contracts. These sorts of roles can be found in some specialist employment agencies.

Typically, if you are hired, you will be paid around $28 an hour or $59,000 a year.

Biological technician

If you are interested in conducting laboratory tests and collecting samples, you can apply for biological technician positions. They are highly skilled research assistants who work to develop predictive models and new forms of medical action to help others as well. With an EMT certification, you can be hired to work a biological technician position as it doesn’t have any further requirements. However, you can get better chances if you have a higher degree. Some places you can work are hospitals, universities, and other research fields.

Typically, you will be paid around $24 an hour or $50,000 a year if you do this job.

Crime lab technician

With your EMT experiences in dealing with people and working out the risks associated with certain kinds of work as well, many crime labs really want to hire you. There, your major responsibility involves employing testing methodologies to derive evidence (or the lack thereof) for the police and other law enforcement agencies. You probably just need a degree and EMT certification to work as a crime lab technician.

Typically, if salaried, you will be paid around $38 an hour or $80,000 a year.

Health information technician

With an EMT certification, you can easily take a job as a health information technician who is an administrative staff member having the main duties of organizing and analyzing patient information. The demand for EMTs to work as health information technician is always high because they are familiar with the language and medical terminology. Besides, wherever medicine is being practiced, you can easily find this job. Some places you can work are clinics, surgeries, hospitals, and so on.

If you are hired, this job usually pays around $22 an hour or $48,000 a year.

Surgical technologist

Although you need to be more qualified to become a surgical technologist, you still can do this job as it has a lot of commons with an EMT. During surgery, surgical technologists are in charge of helping the surgical team and provide basic care and administration for patients. Most of these sorts of jobs can be found in hospitals as it where surgery tends to occur.

Typically, you will be paid around $24 an hour or $50,000 a year if you are hired.

As you can see, there are a variety of jobs you can do with an EMT certification. If you want to change of scene, do it right now because there are many opportunities open up to you. Once you do it, you will realize that you don’t have to give up your available EMT skills, you will just carry them out at different locations with other people and focus.

If you are going to gain an EMT certification, let our free EMT practice test helps you easily pass the exam. 

Let’s practice now!