Paramedics are generally in the business of caring for the sick and injured in settings of medical emergency. They are responsible for people’s lives, as their competent skills and quick reactions can make the difference between life and death. They usually respond to emergency calls, transport patients to medical facilities, and perform medical services on the road. US seems to be the country with the highest paramedic salary – $44,640 per year. It’s closely followed by Australia with the equivalent of US$43,021, New Zealand with US$40,575, and Canada with US$38,005.
Often confused with the typical EMT, paramedics are basically the last step on the hierarchy. While EMTs are the lowest level of EMS (emergency response services), paramedics are the highest. This article will walk you through the average salaries of paramedics across US states and English-speaking countries around the world. If you are interested in emergency services, you can also check out our EMT salary guide and our flight paramedic salary guide.
How Much Does a Paramedic Make per Year?
Here’s the estimated yearly and hourly paramedic pay across English-speaking countries:
| US | Canada | UK | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa | |
| Hourly Wage | $21 | C$24 (US$18) |
£12 (US$15) |
AU$28 (US$21) |
NZ$28 (US$20) |
Rs120 (US$2) | R71 (US$5) |
| Annual Wage | $44,640 | C$ 50,363
(US$ 38,005) |
£ 24,824
(US$ 18,732) |
AU$ 58,637
(US$ 43,021) |
NZ$ 58,000
(US$ |
Rs 250,000
(US$ |
R 147,402
(US$ |
Factors that Influence the Paramedic Salary
The wage of a paramedic can be influenced by a wide array of factors. While the average paramedic salary is just above the minimum wage, the geographic area can more than double it on its own.
Add to that the wage difference caused by the level of experience of each paramedic, as well as the difference caused by the industry of the profession. Thus, the paramedic salary can grow by quite a significant amount. For example, a fresh paramedic working rescue out of an emergency helicopter will probably make less money than a licensed offshore paramedic with hospital training.
Geographic Area
Since every state and country has its own emergency needs, as well as its own economy, it’s only natural that the geographical area affect the salary as much as it does.
Paramedic Salary in the US
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average yearly paramedic salary is somewhere around $31,980 per year or $15.38 per hour. Meanwhile, payscale.com estimates the average salary of a paramedic a little more optimistic, at around $16 per hour. Despite the paramedic salary being barely above the minimum wage, the employment rate for the profession is estimated to grow 24% by 2024.
The wage can vary so much from state to state, with differences of several tens of thousands of dollars occurring between states like:
- Florida and Hawaii;
- NYC and Georgia;
- Arizona and Oregon;
- Indiana and Michigan.
Therefore, you can probably imagine the wage difference from one country to another. Also, you will notice states like Alabama, Utah, Missouri, or Colorado, and cities like Philadelphia, PA, Charlotte, NC, or Minneapolis, MN aren’t on this list. But it doesn’t mean that there aren’t job openings or that the salary is particularly bad. It just means that the places aren’t in the top tier.
Highest Rates of Employment in the US
The states offering the highest rates of employment for paramedics are as follows:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Texas | 18,270 | 1.58 | 0.92 | $17.33 | $36,050 |
| California | 16,720 | 1.08 | 0.63 | $17.99 | $37,410 |
| New York | 14,250 | 1.59 | 0.92 | $18.72 | $38,940 |
| Pennsylvania | 12,320 | 2.16 | 1.26 | $15.67 | $32,590 |
| Illinois | 12,060 | 2.06 | 1.20 | $20.38 | $42,380 |
The metropolitan areas offering the highest rates of employment for paramedics are the following:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| New York – Jersey City – White Plains, NY – NJ Metropolitan Division | 9,470 | 1.46 | 0.85 | $18.65 | $38,790 |
| Chicago – Naperville – Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 6,590 | 1.84 | 1.07 | $24.23 | $50,390 |
| Atlanta – Sandy Springs – Roswell, GA | 4,000 | 1.61 | 0.94 | $17.15 | $35,670 |
| Houston – The Woodlands – Sugar Land, TX | 3,860 | 1.32 | 0.77 | $16.44 | $34,190 |
| Los Angeles – Long Beach – Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 3,680 | 0.90 | 0.52 | $17.30 | $35,980 |
| Baltimore – Columbia – Towson, MD | 2,940 | 2.24 | 1.30 | $20.83 | $43,340 |
| Boston – Cambridge – Newton, MA NECTA Division | 2,830 | 1.61 | 0.94 | $18.31 | $38,080 |
| Washington – Arlington – Alexandria, DC – VA – MD – WV Metropolitan Division | 2,740 | 1.13 | 0.66 | $22.60 | $47,010 |
| Dallas – Plano – Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 2,720 | 1.17 | 0.68 | $20.91 | $43,500 |
| St. Louis, MO – IL | 2,710 | 2.05 | 1.19 | $17.42 | $36,230 |
The nonmetropolitan areas offering the highest levels of employment for the profession are as follows:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 1,340 | 5.46 | 3.18 | $14.14 | $29,420 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | 980 | 4.73 | 2.75 | $13.58 | $28,260 |
| Southern Ohio non-metropolitan area | 950 | 6.23 | 3.63 | $13.99 | $29,100 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 920 | 8.69 | 5.06 | $13.53 | $28,150 |
| North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 890 | 2.72 | 1.58 | $13.82 | $28,750 |
Highest Salaries for Paramedics in the US
Meanwhile, the states offering the highest paramedic salaries are the following:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| District of Columbia | 1,250 | 1.85 | 1.08 | $28.37 | $59,010 |
| Washington | 2,880 | 0.97 | 0.56 | $28.06 | $58,370 |
| Alaska | 390 | 1.19 | 0.69 | $25.96 | $54,000 |
| Connecticut | 3,200 | 1.93 | 1.12 | $22.22 | $46,220 |
| Nevada | 1,300 | 1.06 | 0.62 | $21.31 | $44,320 |
The metropolitan areas with the highest salaries for the occupation are as follows:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Tacoma – Lakewood, WA Metropolitan Division | 180 | 0.64 | 0.37 | $37.39 | $77,770 |
| Seattle – Bellevue – Everett, WA Metropolitan Division | 1,180 | 0.77 | 0.45 | $31.81 | $66,170 |
| Pueblo, CO | 100 | 1.72 | 1.00 | $29.84 | $62,080 |
| Olympia – Tumwater, WA | 170 | 1.67 | 0.97 | $29.36 | $61,070 |
| Kennewick – Richland, WA | 140 | 1.33 | 0.78 | $28.14 | $58,530 |
| Santa Cruz – Watsonville, CA | 60 | 0.71 | 0.41 | $28.09 | $58,420 |
| Anchorage, AK | 190 | 1.05 | 0.61 | $26.48 | $55,080 |
| Mount Vernon – Anacortes, WA | 120 | 2.53 | 1.47 | $26.03 | $54,150 |
| Bridgeport – Stamford – Norwalk, CT | 610 | 1.46 | 0.85 | $25.88 | $53,820 |
| New Haven, CT | 770 | 2.76 | 1.61 | $25.22 | $52,460 |
Last, but not least, the nonmetropolitan areas offering the highest paramedic salary are:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Balance of Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 100 | 1.31 | 0.76 | $27.95 | $58,140 |
| Nantucket Island and Martha’s Vineyard nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 3.19 | 1.86 | $26.95 | $56,060 |
| Southwest Washington nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 1.15 | 0.67 | $24.81 | $51,610 |
| Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.40 | 0.81 | $22.83 | $47,490 |
| Central Washington nonmetropolitan area | 110 | 3.40 | 1.98 | $22.60 | $47,010 |
Paramedic Salary in Canada
The paramedic starting salary in Canada is set around C$50,000 or US$37,745 – just 7% below the national average for this profession. Therefore, mid-career, late-career, and experienced professionals earn salaries well above the national average (C$50,363 or US$ 38,005). Almost 70% of the professionals in this field enjoy some type of medical insurance with their job.
The paramedic salary in Canada can surpass C$75,000, depending on experience, location, hours, and industry. For example, if an employee of the British Columbia Ambulance Service earns C$55,000 (or US$41,511) after 5-10 years, a paramedic working in Alberta can earn up to C$100,000 (or US$75,474).
Paramedic Salary in the UK
The starting salary of paramedics in the United Kingdom revolves around £23,000 – £24,000, or about US$28,500. Experienced professionals can earn salaries of up to £28,000, or over US$34,000. However, it seems that almost half of the paramedics in the UK (46%, to be exact) have 4 years of experience or less. Moreover, only 10% have over 20 years in this field.
Paramedic Salary in Australia
The paramedic starting salary in Australia revolves around AU$57,000 (US$41,843), with only 3% less than the national average. Surprisingly, mid-career professionals also come close to the national average when it comes to their salaries. earning only 1% more than the median. Late-career and experienced paramedics, however, can earn up to 30% more, reaching yearly salaries of AU$77,000, or about US$56,500.
According to Payscale, over 60% of the paramedics in Australia don’t have any type of medical insurance.
Paramedic Salary in New Zealand
Careers.govt.nz states that beginner paramedics in New Zealand start at about NZ$45,000 per year, or just over US$31,500. A professional will go from the starting salary through the average one and to the maximum of about NZ$75,000 (US$52,500) in about 10 years. Surprisingly, this medical field registers quite the competition, and even though vacancies are increasing, the chances of being employed as a paramedic are only average.
Paramedic Salary in South Africa
The salary of a paramedic in South Africa starts at around ZAR141,000, or just under US$10,300. Mid-career professionals generally earn less than the national average. However, experienced paramedics can bring home salaries 41% higher than the average. Late-career paramedics earn the highest salaries, often surpassing the ZAR300,000 (about US$22,000) threshold.
Experience
Sadly, the level of experience doesn’t really make too big of a difference when it comes to the paramedic salary. While the responsibilities of emergency response experts do get more and more complex with the passage of time, their salaries don’t really grow by much more than $10,000. This is why most paramedics choose to switch departments long before reaching twenty years on the job.
While the EMT vs. paramedic salary comparison is rarely made, it is often a determinant reason in the decision most paramedics make in regards to moving on. According to payscale.com, the starting average paramedic salary is around $37,000 an hour. The estimated salary path over the course of a paramedic’s career is as follows:
- $35,000 – $40,000 after five to ten years on the job
- $40,000 – $44,000 after ten to twenty years on the job
- $44,000 – $48,000 after more than twenty years of experience
Industry
Last, but certainly not least, the industry and department of choice also make a huge impact on the paramedic salary. For example, a paramedical esthetician, an air ambulance technician, a paramedic working with a fireman and the fire department, and an examiner working for the AMR or for the FDNY will have completely different salary scales.
Work Hours
Most paramedics usually work in shifts. Most of these shifts tend to follow a two days on, three days off, three days on, two days off pattern. The shifts usually last for twelve hours, and they start rotating through days before switching to nights.
Sometimes, ten-hour work shifts are scheduled for weeks with four work days, and this usually results in paramedics being able to take a day off. However, these shifts are generally reserved for senior paramedics. The paramedic work hours are often seen as the most chaotic in healthcare, even by doctors who have to be on call.
Bonuses and Benefits Packages
While the paramedic salary is barely higher than the minimum wage, a number of tips, overtime, bonuses, and profit sharing opportunities can raise the wage range by about $12,000 a year. So, tips generally come in at $0.48 per hour, overtimes are paid a maximum of $35 per hour, while bonuses and profit sharing can make up for another $3,000 a year.
As for the benefits packages, the salary of a paramedic is often joined by a very reasonable number of paid and sick leave days, as well as by a decent 401(K) plan. About 79% of all paramedics have medical insurance, 63% have dental, 52% also get vision, while 19% get no type of insurance whatsoever.
Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for people with the paramedic salary is estimated to grow 24% by 2024. That is much faster than the national average for all the occupations, estimated at 8%. Of course, the many opportunities for changing departments is one of the reasons for the increased demand for paramedics.
This increased demand is also partly owed to the constant increase of the elderly population, as well as to the increased number of accidents and emergencies that have been plaguing out country these past few years. And if things continue going like this, the paramedic employment rate is estimated to grow even further.
Paramedics have what is perhaps the most vital job of all of the emergency response services. They are tasked with applying their quick reflexes, critical thinking, and life-saving skills in the field. While many think that the paramedic salary is too low for their efforts, few paramedics actually keep the same position for enough time for it to bother them.
All the tables in this article are courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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