Paramedics Salary

Being a paramedic is one of the most important and meaningful jobs a person can undertake. Paramedics rush in when personal and medical disaster has struck. Whether someone is suffering from a heart attack, has gotten in a wreck or been attacked by another individual, a paramedic, if called, will be on the way. Paramedics deliver first aid, work to stabilize the injured and/or sick and then transport them, if necessary, to a local hospital. The average paramedics salary is just shy of $40,000 ($38,367).

Individuals interested in becoming a paramedic will need to have finished high school. A GED may also be acceptable. In addition to a high school degree or GED, an individual will need to register with the EMT National Registry, obtain a license from the State EMS Authority and have their CPR certifications.

Paramedics do not work traditional hours. Individuals considering this field should keep this in mind. Typically, those employed by a hospital or fire department will work 24-hour shifts, in which they will be on-call. This around-the-clock shift is followed by 2 days off (uninterrupted). It’s a non-traditional shift but one that many people will like or at least tolerate because they love the work. Twelve hour shifts are common for ambulance services.

A paramedics salary will depend on a number of factors, namely the state in which they work. Some states, on average, pay more than others. The agency a person works through will also have an effect on pay. There are both public and private sector ambulatory agencies. The amount of experience and training a person has will also be a determining factor. The more education a person has, the more they are likely to be paid.

In addition to the base paramedics salary, most paramedics will have the opportunity to earn additional money by working overtime. The amount of overtime a paramedic can obtain can have a significant impact on his or her take home pay.

As mentioned above, the amount of experience a person has will affect their pay. EMTs, who have only been working a few years, may be paid anywhere between $28,000 and $34,000 a year. Those who’ve been working longer can expect to be compensated between $50,000 and $70,000 a year, if they work for a hospital or state agency. Sticking with a job as a paramedic can definitely pay off in terms of salary. The more experience a person obtains, the better they will be compensated, which is true of many industries. The longer a paramedic works, the higher their paramedics salary will be.