Though many pursue a career because they have a passion for that field, it’s no secret that the salary one will receive is a determining factor in whether they will pursue that career. Understandably, one who is preparing to begin their journey of becoming a certified emergency medical technician is going to be interested in knowing what sort of salary they can expect in the workforce. Here, we’re going to outline the salary an EMT should expect, which will vary based on a number of factors.
For starters, and most importantly, your level of certification is going to be one of the biggest factors in determining your salary. We will now go over the various levels of certification, and the salary associated with that level.
EMT-Basic Level
At the beginning of the EMT training ladder are those who hold Basic level EMT certification. Needless to say, the lower your level of certification, the lower your salary will be. With that in mind, those who are certified at the Basic EMT level will generally receive a lower salary than those holding higher levels of certification. As of 2011, the hourly wage for an EMT who is certified at the Basic level will earn between $8.50 and $15.00 per hour. Looking at this on a salary basis, this equals out to around $20,000 to $38,000 per year. It’s important to also keep in mind that wages will vary based on the State, and sometimes even the County.
EMT-Intermediate Level
Next are those who are certified at the Intermediate level, known as EMT-Intermediate. Though there is not a significant increase in salary and wages, there is an increase nonetheless. Those who are certified at Intermediate level, as of 2011, were said to earn roughly $9.75 to $19.50 an hour, which ultimately equates to roughly $21,000 to $53,000 a year.
Paramedic Level
Evidently, Paramedics are at the top of the ladder in terms of certification levels. Those who are certified at the Paramedic level do earn the highest salaries. 2011 statistics showed that the average wage of a Paramedic was roughly $23.80, with several jobs paying even higher than this based on the applicants experience and skill. In terms of yearly salary, this turns out to equal over $52,000 a year, while many Paramedics earn upwards of $79,000 per year. For those looking to increase their salary significantly, becoming a certified EMT-Paramedic is definitely the best roué to take. They are the most highly paid, and also have the most job opportunities as well.
Although the whopping salary as a Paramedic is attractive, prior to pursuing additional training to become certified at the Paramedic level, it is important to keep in mind that it is a rigorous path. The training required to become a Paramedic is far more rigorous than the EMT training courses at the lower level.
EMT Salary By State
As mentioned previously, ones location in the United States is a determining factor as far as salary goes. For years, the trend has been that EMTs in larger, urban cities earn higher salaries. Statistics show that EMTs in states such as New York, California, Texas, and North Carolina earn the highest salaries. This is not to say that EMTs in other states cannot earn similar salaries, but simply means that statistically and on average, EMTs in those states are paid higher.
The great thing about a career as an EMT is that the satisfaction of helping people daily is almost like an additional salary, or a bonus, in itself. If it were up to most people, they would significantly increase the salaries of emergency medical technicians, primarily due to the fact that they are the people out there helping others and saving lives every day. If you feel that this is a career that interests you, you can start off by visiting our page on EMT State Requirements, to get an idea of what steps you need to take to get started.
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