Paramedic Salary - What You Can Expect To Earn

Thinking about a job helping people in emergencies often brings up questions about what that work actually pays. For paramedics, those first responders who provide urgent medical care, it's pretty natural to wonder about the money side of things. This kind of work is incredibly important, so it makes sense to look at how much someone in this role can expect to bring home.

The money a paramedic earns can vary quite a bit, depending on where they are and their experience. Some places offer more than others, and even within the same state, you might see different pay rates. It's almost like a big puzzle with lots of pieces, where each piece tells a part of the pay story.

We're going to look at some of the figures that show what paramedics make across different parts of the United States. We'll check out the typical yearly earnings, what that looks like per hour, and how certain states or cities stand out when it comes to how much a paramedic gets paid, so you get a clearer picture.

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Table of Contents

• How Much Does a Paramedic Make Overall?
• Where Do Paramedic Salaries Tend to Be Higher?
• What About the Lower End of Paramedic Salary?
• How Does New Jersey Paramedic Salary Compare?
• What is the Average Paramedic Salary in Princeton, NJ?
• Exploring Paramedic Pay in Other Places
• Understanding the Range of Paramedic Pay
• What Do Paramedics Actually Do?

How Much Does a Paramedic Make Overall?

When we look at the big picture for paramedic salaries across the United States, we see some pretty clear numbers. For instance, in 2023, paramedics typically made a middle-ground salary of $53,180. This number, provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, gives us a good idea of what a lot of paramedics earn. It's like finding the central point in a spread of earnings, so a good many people working in this field would find their yearly pay around that figure. This also means that half of all paramedics earned more than that amount, and half earned less. It’s a useful benchmark for someone considering this career, you know, to get a general idea of what's possible.

Breaking it down a bit more, some reports show the average yearly pay for a paramedic in the United States as $48,147, as of July 1, 2025. This figure, from Salary.com, suggests that while there's a median point, the overall average can be a little different, maybe because of how various data points are collected. It's pretty interesting how these numbers can shift slightly depending on the source, isn't it? The same source also points out that paramedic pay usually falls within a certain range, which we'll get into a bit later. It shows that there isn't just one fixed amount everyone earns, but more of a spectrum.

Another way to look at it is by the hour. On average, paramedics in the United States made about $27.80 per hour, which comes out to roughly $57,833 a year. This information, based on a broad collection of data, gives us a slightly different annual average compared to the Bureau of Labor Statistics figure. It just goes to show that how you measure the average can change the number you get. For those thinking about hourly wages, this figure gives a pretty solid idea of what each hour of work might bring in, which is often a helpful way to think about a job's worth.

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Where Do Paramedic Salaries Tend to Be Higher?

It turns out that where you work can make a big difference in how much you earn as a paramedic. Some states really stand out for offering more money. Washington, for example, is noted as the state with the highest hourly pay for paramedic jobs. This means that if you're working as a paramedic there, you're likely to see a bigger paycheck per hour than in many other parts of the country. It's pretty clear that geography plays a big part in the earning potential for a paramedic salary.

The information also mentions that certain states and areas have the highest published employment figures, location quotients, and wages for paramedics. This suggests that not only do these places pay more, but they also might have more opportunities for paramedic work, or a higher concentration of these types of jobs compared to the national average. So, it's not just about the money, but also about the availability of positions. This could be a good thing for someone looking to move for a paramedic job, you know, to find both good pay and plenty of work.

While specific numbers for Washington's hourly rate aren't given in this particular set of information, the fact that it's highlighted as the highest-paying state for paramedic jobs is a pretty strong indicator. It tells us that if earning more is a key factor for you, then looking at places like Washington for a paramedic salary might be a smart move. It's interesting to consider how different state economies and demands for emergency services might influence these pay differences across the country, actually.

What About the Lower End of Paramedic Salary?

Just as some places offer higher pay for paramedics, others tend to be on the lower side of the scale. Florida, for instance, is noted as the state with the lowest paying paramedic jobs. This means that if you're a paramedic working in Florida, your hourly wage might not be as high as what someone earns in a state like Washington. It's a pretty big contrast, showing the range of what a paramedic salary can look like from one part of the country to another.

Looking at the overall spread of earnings, the lowest 10% of paramedics, to be precise, earned less than $38,520 a year as of May 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This figure shows the bottom of the earning spectrum for the profession. It gives a clear picture of what someone just starting out, or working in an area with lower pay, might expect. It's important to keep this in mind when considering a paramedic job, you know, to have a realistic expectation of potential earnings, especially at the beginning of a career.

For those paramedics on the very lowest end of the pay scale, the bottom 10% of earners, their annual income was roughly $42,910. This is another way to look at the lower earnings, offering a slightly different figure from a different data set. It highlights that even within the lower earning group, there can be some variation. These numbers are helpful for understanding the full scope of paramedic salary possibilities, from the highest earners to those who are just starting out or working in areas with less demand or lower costs of living, basically.

How Does New Jersey Paramedic Salary Compare?

When we look at New Jersey specifically, the average hourly pay for a paramedic is about $34.41. This figure comes from a collection of 69 salaries reported on job postings over the past three years on a well-known job site. It gives us a pretty current snapshot of what paramedics are earning per hour in that state. This is a bit higher than the national hourly average we saw earlier, which suggests New Jersey might be a bit more generous with its paramedic salary compared to some other places, in a way.

It's interesting to see how specific states like New Jersey fit into the broader picture of paramedic earnings. The fact that this average is based on recent job postings gives it a pretty good sense of what's currently being offered in the market there. For someone thinking about working as a paramedic in New Jersey, this hourly rate gives a solid expectation of what they might earn on a regular basis. It's useful information for planning, you know, for budgeting and understanding living costs in the area.

This New Jersey data point helps to fill in the map of paramedic pay across the country. It shows that while there are states with very high pay and states with very low pay, many places, like New Jersey, fall somewhere in the middle, offering a decent hourly wage. It's just another piece of the puzzle that helps to build a more complete picture of what a paramedic salary looks like across different regions, and how local job markets can influence those numbers.

What is the Average Paramedic Salary in Princeton, NJ?

Within New Jersey, there are even more specific differences in pay. For example, in Princeton, New Jersey, the average salary for a paramedic is reported to be $100.00 per hour. This is a pretty significant number, especially when you compare it to the New Jersey state average. It's an estimate that comes from Bureau of Labor Statistics data, which means it's based on reliable information, so it's a good figure to consider.

This hourly rate in Princeton is actually 82% higher than the broader New Jersey average, which was around $18.05 per hour according to the data used for this comparison. That's a really big jump, isn't it? It highlights how much pay can differ even within the same state, especially in specific towns or cities. This kind of difference could be due to a lot of things, like the local cost of living, the demand for paramedics in that particular area, or even the type of emergency services provided there.

The Princeton example really drives home the point that when you're looking at a paramedic salary, you need to consider not just the state, but sometimes even the exact city or town. A location like Princeton, with its much higher average pay, could be a very attractive option for paramedics looking to maximize their earnings. It just shows that digging into the details can reveal some pretty surprising differences in what you might bring home, actually.

Exploring Paramedic Pay in Other Places

Beyond the states we've already mentioned, it's helpful to look at a few other specific locations to get a broader sense of paramedic salary variations. For example, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the average annual salary for a paramedic is about $47,917, or around $23 per hour. The pay there typically ranges from $38,637 to $58,660 annually, or $19 to $28 per hour. This range gives a good idea of what someone could expect to earn in that city, from the lower end to the higher end of the pay scale, you know, for a clearer picture.

Moving over to Texas, the average annual salary for a paramedic is roughly $46,966, which also comes out to about $23 per hour. In Texas, the pay generally falls between $38,209 and $56,555 per year, or $18 to $27 per hour. These figures are quite similar to those in Shreveport, suggesting that some regions might have comparable earning potentials for paramedic jobs. It's interesting how these numbers can be quite consistent across different states in some respects.

Then there's Rochester, Minnesota, where the average annual salary for a paramedic is around $48,267, or $23 per hour. The typical range for pay in Rochester is from $39,268 to $58,123 annually, or $19 to $28 per hour. These numbers again show a similar pattern to Shreveport and Texas, indicating that many areas might offer a paramedic salary that hovers around the mid-to-high $40,000s annually. It's almost like there's a common band of earnings for many places across the country, so.

Understanding the Range of Paramedic Pay

It's really important to look beyond just the average or median paramedic salary and consider the full range of what people earn. We've seen that paramedics made a median salary of $53,180 in 2023. But what does that mean for someone at the very beginning of their career, or someone with a lot of experience? The Bureau of Labor Statistics helps us here by showing that the lowest 10% of paramedics earned less than $38,520. This tells us what the absolute minimum earnings might look like for some people in the field, in a way.

On the other side of the spectrum, the information also points out that the highest earners, the top 10% of paramedics, make significantly more. While a specific figure for the highest 10% isn't provided in the same direct comparison, the overall median and the lowest 10% figures paint a picture of a pretty wide pay gap. This difference in earnings can be influenced by many factors, like years of experience, additional training, the type of emergency service an individual works for, and, of course, the specific location, as we've already seen. It's a pretty varied landscape, actually.

When you consider that the average annual salary for a paramedic in the United States is around $48,147 as of a specific date, and that pay typically ranges from a certain low to a certain high, it really emphasizes that there isn't one fixed paramedic salary. Instead, it's a spectrum of possibilities. Understanding these ranges, from the lowest 10% to the median, and knowing that some areas pay much more, helps someone get a full picture of what they might expect to earn over their career. It's about seeing all the possibilities, you know, from one end to the other.

What Do Paramedics Actually Do?

Beyond the numbers and the pay, it's good to remember what paramedics actually do, because their work is really important. Emergency medical technicians, often called EMTs, and paramedics are the people who show up when someone is hurt or very sick. Their job involves looking at injuries and illnesses to figure out what's going on, so that's a big part of it. They provide immediate medical care right there on the spot, which can make a huge difference in someone's life, basically.

After they've given that initial care, paramedics often transport patients to medical facilities like hospitals. This transportation is a crucial step, making sure that people who need more extensive treatment get to where they need to be safely and quickly. So, their role isn't just about the immediate treatment, but also about getting people to the next level of care. It's a job that requires quick thinking, a lot of skill, and a real dedication to helping others, you know, in often difficult situations.

The work of a paramedic is very hands-on and involves a lot of direct interaction with people in crisis. They are often the first medical professionals to arrive at an emergency scene, which means they have to be ready for anything. Understanding their duties helps put the paramedic salary figures into perspective, as it's a demanding and vital public service. It's a job that truly makes a difference in communities every single day, really.

This article looked at various aspects of paramedic pay, covering the overall median salary, average hourly rates, and how earnings can differ significantly by state and even by specific cities like Washington, Florida, New Jersey, Princeton, Shreveport, Texas, and Rochester. We explored the range of earnings, from the lowest 10% to higher-paying areas, and touched upon the core responsibilities of a paramedic.