Allied Health & Medical Technology
Paramedic
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
Administer basic or advanced emergency medical care and assess injuries and illnesses. May administer medication intravenously, use equipment such as EKGs, or administer advanced life support to sick or injured individuals.
Also called: Critical Care Paramedic · Firefighter Paramedic · First Responder · Flight Paramedic
O*NET-SOC 29-2043.00 (Paramedics)
Paramedic salary
Wages for paramedics across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $29.13.
Paramedic pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $53,370 | $74,590 | $102,450 |
| Texas | $41,030 | $57,500 | $77,700 |
| Florida | $44,050 | $60,140 | $85,390 |
| New York | $55,900 | $73,200 | $98,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,040 | $61,000 | $81,590 |
| Illinois | $47,210 | $60,660 | $106,810 |
| Ohio | $38,750 | $51,300 | $72,140 |
| Georgia | $40,600 | $57,660 | $82,980 |
| North Carolina | $44,730 | $57,320 | $75,170 |
| Michigan | $43,400 | $52,080 | $66,070 |
Paramedic job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 102,200 jobs in 2025 to 108,000 in 2035 (6% change).
- About 4,300 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Bright (Rapid Growth).
How to become a paramedic
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary certificate
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years work experience
- On-the-job training
- No on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma1.6%
- High school diploma or equivalent7.9%
- Some college, no degree34.2%
- Associate's degree27.3%
- Bachelor's degree18.3%
- Master's degree4.1%
- Doctoral or professional degree6.7%
Related training programs
- Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)
What does a paramedic do?
Common tasks
- Perform emergency cardiac care, such as cardioversion and manual defibrillation.
- Perform emergency invasive intervention before delivering patient to an acute care facility.
- Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
- Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
- Operate equipment, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), external defibrillators, or bag valve mask resuscitators, in advanced life support environments.
- Comfort and reassure patients.
- Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
- Perform emergency pharmacological interventions.
- Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.
- Observe, record, and report to physician the patient's condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment.
Most important skills
- Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
- Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
- Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
Paramedic certifications
8 of 13 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- International Board of Specialty Certification · Advanced
- Certified Tactical Paramedic (TP-C)International Board of Specialty Certification · Advanced
- Certified Flight Paramedic (FP-C)International Board of Specialty Certification · Specialty · In demand
- Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification · Advanced
- Vascular Access-Board Certified (VA-BC)Vascular Access Certification Corporation · Core · In demand
- Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification · Specialty
- National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians · Core · In demand
- Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification · Advanced
See all 13certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Paramedic jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more allied health & medical technology jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Allied Health & Medical Technology jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
Related careers
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Registered Nurse
- Acute Care Nurses
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Critical Care Nurses
- Surgical Assistants
- Respiratory Therapist
- Nursing Assistant
- Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
- Medical Assistant
More allied health & medical technology careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Paramedics. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.