Getting a job as an emergency medical technician (EMT) can help you gain essential skills for a lifelong career in the healthcare industry. Professionals in these roles can find positions in different industries and locations, which may also offer varied salaries. If you’re interested in pursuing a job as an EMT, learning what areas and industries offer high-paying salaries might help you search for lucrative positions.
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In this article, we list 30 high-paying cities and 10 high-paying states for EMTs, discuss five top industries for this medical career, and provide eight related roles you can pursue.
Top 30 highest-paying cities for EMTs
Here’s a list of 30 cities where EMTs and paramedics typically receive high pay, with salaries exceeding $44,000. For the most up-to-date Indeed salaries, please click on the links below:
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Tacoma, Washington: $64,166 per year
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Seattle, Washington: $61,325 per year
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Louisville, Kentucky $60,421 per year
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Juneau, Alaska: $58,850 per year
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Minneapolis, Minnesota: $55,626 per year
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Washington D.C.: $53,862 per year
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Hartford, Connecticut: $53,130 per year
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San Francisco, California: $52,521 per year
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New Orleans, Louisiana: $51,898 per year
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Honolulu, Hawaii: $51,831 per year
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Austin, Texas: $51,101 per year
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Norwalk, Connecticut: $51,071 per year
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Nantucket Island, Massachusetts: $50,379 per year
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Boston, Massachusetts $49,695 per year
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Olympia, Washington: $49,353 per year
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Las Vegas, Nevada: $48,831 per year
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Salinas, California: $48,438 per year
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Portland, Maine: $48,112 per year
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Nashville, Tennessee: $47,968 per year
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Durham, North Carolina: $46,828 per year
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Bellevue, Washington: $46,710 per year
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Atlanta, Georgia: $46,512 per year
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Lawrence, Kansas: $46,188 per year
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Kansas City, Missouri: $45,649 per year
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Portland, Oregon: $45,498 per year
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Dallas, Texas: $45,274 per year
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Miami, Florida: $45,023 per year
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: $44,523 per year
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Tucson, Arizona: $44,336 per year
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Albuquerque, New Mexico: $44,101 per year
Top 10 highest-paying states for EMTs
Here’s a list of 10 states where employers pay EMTs high salaries, along with the average annual salary in each state :
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Minnesota: $53,562 per year
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Louisiana: $51,153 per year
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Alabama: $50,032 per year
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North Dakota: $48,935 per year
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Texas: $47,869 per year
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New York: $46,849 per year
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Washington: $46,774 per year
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Nevada: $46,705 per year
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Oregon: 45,861 per year
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Maryland: $45,424 per year
Top industries for EMTs
While many healthcare organizations and facilities employ EMTs, it’s also possible to find lucrative jobs in other industries across the public and private sectors. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these industries offer EMTs high compensation:
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State governments: These professionals work for state agencies to respond to local disasters and create state-wide standards for emergency care. A government-employed EMT can earn an average salary of $58,730 per year.
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Companies and other business enterprises: Some EMTs work on-site for private businesses like parks, casinos, and sports arenas. In this industry, emergency medicine professionals may receive an average salary of $50,860 per year.
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Architectural and engineering companies: Architecture and engineering professionals often work with hazardous materials and heavy machinery, so EMTs can help treat any workplace injuries or provide health-related advice. You might earn an average salary of $50,090 per year as an EMT in this industry.
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Outpatient clinics: EMTs and paramedics often work for healthcare facilities that don’t host any overnight patients, like urgent care facilities, primary care physicians’ offices, surgery centers, and specialized treatment clinics. These professionals earn an average salary of $48,670 per year.
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Medical and diagnostic laboratories: EMTs and paramedics working in these facilities might coordinate with nurses or other clinical staff to provide emergency care and handle lab equipment. EMTs in these jobs can earn an average salary of $48,280 per year.
Top 8 highest-paid EMT jobs to pursue
If you’re seeking a role that pays well, it might be helpful to consider some of the most lucrative positions for EMTs. These professionals can also use their skills to perform the duties of other healthcare careers or apply for advanced roles that help them grow professionally as medical care providers. Here are some high-paying roles for EMTs with salaries over $40,000 per year:
1. Emergency medical dispatcher
National average salary: $41,937 per year
Primary duties: An emergency medical dispatcher administers calls from people in crisis situations. Their responsibilities might include gathering information about the caller’s location and condition, offering medical instructions to help them remain safe, and sending the proper emergency medical services (EMS) resources to assist them on-site. They may also record their calls and enter data into an organization’s computer system about each caller’s situation and the resources they require.
2. Emergency room technician
National average salary: $42,641 per year
Primary duties: EMTs help doctors and nurses treat patients who need specialized care after a crisis or develop an unexpected illness. An EMT’s responsibilities can include monitoring patients’ vital signs, setting up intravenous (IV) therapy, sterilizing wounds, handling surgical tools, and completing patient paperwork. These professionals might also collect samples for lab testing and help doctors and nurses perform imaging tests.
3. Crime scene technician
National average salary: $46,866 per year
Primary duties: Crime scene technicians are law enforcement professionals who collect evidence from crime sites, including fingerprints, weaponry, and fluids. Their responsibilities may include documenting their findings for police officers, transferring them to forensic laboratories, and taking photographs of crime scenes. They also handle specialized forensic equipment and perform scientific tests, when necessary. EMTs can use their medical knowledge to study anatomy-related evidence, examine individuals at crime scenes, and determine the safety of investigation procedures.
4. Health information technician
National average salary: $50,878 per year
Primary duties: A health information technician is a medical professional who oversees patient data in a facility’s internal computer system. They can document patients’ medical histories, verify information in patients’ records, update information in healthcare databases, and analyze data to provide physicians with key information. These professionals typically also maintain standards for patient confidentiality and cooperate with requests for records and authorizations.
5. Firefighter
National average salary: $51,274 per year
Primary duties: A firefighter is an emergency services professional who responds to fire-related incidents both indoors and outdoors. When on-site, firefighters typically extinguish fires from buildings and help people and animals safely exit hazardous locations. They can also inspect buildings and outdoor areas for fire hazards, test fire equipment for effectiveness, and write reports about incidents after handling them. These professionals might also educate their community about how to prevent fire emergencies or prepare for these situations before they occur.
6. Physician assistant
National average salary: $73,743 per year
Primary duties: A physician assistant is a medical professional who provides comprehensive care to patients of all ages. These professionals can have multiple responsibilities like recording medical histories, gathering information from the patient, ordering diagnostic tests, advising patients about lifestyle choices, administering vaccinations, and prescribing medications. These professionals might build long-term treatment plans for patients or refer them to doctors like cardiologists or psychiatrists.
7. Surgical technician
National average salary: $79,485 per year
Primary duties: A surgical technician is a medical professional who supports surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other staff during operations. Their duties typically include preparing supplies, sanitizing surgical tools, setting up operating rooms before surgeries, and recording patients’ medical information before a procedure begins. Surgical technicians might also perform medical duties during procedures, like applying stitches or cleaning incision sites.
8. Medical technologist
National average salary: $91,123 per year
Primary duties: Medical technologists are health care professionals who work in laboratories to analyze test results. These professionals might run diagnostic tests on patients’ samples, interpret test results, count blood cells, and identify different substances, like bacteria. They may also test samples for compatibility before transfusions and create reports summarizing their analysis. A medical technologist may also enforce sanitation protocols, track supply inventory, and teach colleagues how to operate testing equipment.
Frequently asked questions
What does an EMT do?
An EMT is a healthcare specialist who responds to the scene of a medical emergency and helps transport injured or ill patients in an ambulance. They work with a team to provide emergency medical assistance, first-aid treatment, or emergency life support. They also notify hospital staff about a patient’s condition upon arrival at a hospital.
What factors affect an EMT’s salary?
An EMT’s salary can vary, depending on several factors, including their geographic location and experience level. EMTs with a higher certification level may also earn a higher salary due to their unique expertise. Many EMT positions calculate salaries based on the total number of hours a person worked, and if you frequently work overtime, you may earn a higher income.
What are the benefits of working as an EMT?
Working as an EMT can be highly rewarding if you enjoy helping save lives and you desire a career that allows you to work closely with a team. The position can also offer a wide range of advancement opportunities to highly skilled EMTs who desire a higher salary. It can also be beneficial for people who desire a long-term career in healthcare and want to gain medical experience before completing medical school or enrolling in a specific healthcare program.
I hope you find this article helpful.
