Home
Careers
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

HEALTH Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) earn $44,470 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $37,960 and $50,100. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.

Explore Career

About Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a emergency medical technician (emt): what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Allied Health Diagnostic and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.

Assess injuries and illnesses and administer basic emergency medical care. May transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.

Median Wage: $44,470
Employed Nationally: 181K
Openings / Year: 13,800
Entry Education: Postsecondary nondegree award
Job Zone: Zone 3: Medium Preparation

Also known as:

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) Ambulance Driver Dispatcher Emergency Department Technician (ED Technician) Emergency Medical Driver

How Much Do Emergency Medical Technicians Make?

Most emergency medical technicians take home around $44,470 a year, well below what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $37,960 and $50,100, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Think carefully about how much debt is worth taking on for it. Source: BLS.

A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.

$44,470

National Median (Annual)

Significantly below average. Specialized roles can raise this considerably.

$38K–$50K

Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.

Earnings Range

$37,960 Entry-level

$44,470 Median

$50,100 Experienced

What Is the Job Outlook for Emergency Medical Technicians?

Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +5.8%, meaning it is growing at about the same pace as everything else, so expect steady demand. Around 13,800 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.

Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.

↗ +5.8%

10-Year Growth (2025–2035)

About as fast as average.

13,800

Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

181K

Currently Employed

Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.

Where the Jobs Are

The five states below employ the most Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $44,470 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

#	State	Jobs	Median Wage	vs. National
1	California	21,880	$46,380	+4.3%
2	New York	14,840	$48,400	+8.8%
3	Texas	12,770	$37,260	-16.2%
4	Pennsylvania	10,160	$43,310	-2.6%
5	Illinois	7,840	$42,260	-5.0%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →

How to Get Here

To get hired here you will usually need a postsecondary nondegree award. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.

Typical Entry Education Postsecondary nondegree award

Job Zone

Zone 3: Medium Preparation

A medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience.

Degree Programs That Lead Here

#	Program	Graduates/yr	4yr Median	Colleges
1	Allied Health Diagnostic	85,413	$70,786	1,768

Browse All Programs

Top Colleges for Aspiring Emergency Medical Technicians

Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.

#	College	UCD Score	Net Price	Salary 10yr
1	University of Florida Gainesville, FL	93	$6,541	$71,588
2	Stanford University Stanford, CA	92	$13,807	$124,080
3	North Florida College Madison, FL	91	$804	$33,929
4	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	91	$13,138	$83,648
5	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC	90	$11,655	$72,200
6	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA	90	$10,440	$64,403

Browse All Colleges

Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.

College ROI Calculator

See if the degree that leads to Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.

College Cost Calculator

Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.

Compare Colleges

Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.

College Match Quiz

Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Pros & Cons

The data on Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.

PROS

Steady job outlook The BLS projects +5.8% growth through 2035, keeping pace with the national average. Demand is stable and annual openings remain consistent.
Accessible entry path The typical entry requirement is a postsecondary nondegree award, lower than many comparable-paying careers. This creates a shorter path from training to first paycheck.

CONS

Below-average earnings Median pay of $44,470 falls below the national average for college graduates. ROI is weak at higher-cost programs. Prioritize schools with low net price.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) professionals earn?

Around $44,470 a year for the typical worker, below the national median, program ROI depends heavily on keeping tuition costs low. The middle 50% of earners fall between $37,960 and $50,100. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.

Is Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) a good career?

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) involves trade-offs worth understanding before committing. At $44,470 median, programs with high tuition are difficult to justify on salary return alone. Prioritize in-state public schools or employer-sponsored pathways. Job growth is projected at +5.8% through 2035. Genuine interest in the work, not just the salary, matters most here.

How do I become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)?

Most Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) positions require a postsecondary nondegree award as the minimum credential. a medium amount of preparation is required, often an associate degree, certificate program, or apprenticeship, plus some related experience. Programs like Allied Health Diagnostic are common starting points.

What is the job outlook for Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)?

Employment is projected to change by +5.8% through 2035, about as fast as average compared with other occupations. Around 13,800 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 181K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.