EMTs are often the first point of contact for people who have an injury, trauma, or challenges caused by sickness or aging, and as you can imagine, it requires immense knowledge in the medical area.
Because of these, they earn a lot, and you might ask how much do EMTs make in California, one of the biggest states in the USA or you might wonder which city in California pays the most to EMTs?
According to ZipRecruiter, Santa Clara is the highest-paying city in California for EMTs.
EMTs are responsible for delivering life-saving treatment and transferring people to hospitals for more in-depth services, working alongside other first responders.
EMTs may perform CPR, provide drugs, bandage wounds, stabilize head/neck injuries or broken bones, deliver oxygen, deal with shock concerns, and drive the ambulance on a typical day.
Their care often determines whether a patient lives until they reach a hospital, making it a critical job.
Summary
| Guide | How Much Do EMTs make in California? |
|---|---|
| Average Income | $38,340 to $22,120 per year |
| Highest Income | $70,000 per year |
| Qualification | High school diploma or pass the GED |
| Training | 120–300 hours of training is needed |
Who Are EMTs?
A health worker who offers emergency medical services is an emergency medical technician (EMT), often known as an ambulance technician.
Ambulance EMTs are the most popular type of EMT. Paramedics are a different profession in English-speaking nations, with additional educational requirements, certifications, and areas of practice.
Private ambulance services, municipal EMS organizations, municipalities, hospitals, and fire departments all employ EMTs.
Some EMTs are personnel with salaries, while others (especially in rural regions) are unpaid volunteers.
EMTs give medical care in accordance with a set of procedures that are usually under a physician’s supervision during the preparation.
How Much Do EMTs Make In California?
EMT compensation varies based on where you live and whose agency you work for, but you will almost certainly never be wealthy on an EMT wage alone.
As one of the largest states, California has high living costs, which is why it pays higher salaries than the national average.
It’s important to remember, though, that while it’s higher than the national average, it’s not high enough to make a significant impact—salary ranges from $38,340 to $22,120 on job boards like ZipRecruiter.
However, the bulk of EMT wages is now between $26,543 (25th percentile) and $31,950. (75th percentile).
1. How much do EMTs make in California in an hour?
EMTs make a minimum of $9.93 an hour and a maximum of $28.14 an hour in California.
2. How much do EMTs make in California in a month?
EMTs make a minimum of $1,721 a month and a maximum of $4,877 a month in California.
3. How much do EMTs make in California in a year?
EMTs make a minimum of $20,654 a year and a maximum of $58,522 a year in California.
Highest Salary Of EMTs In California In 2023
Depending on many different things, there is a variety of information on the salaries of EMTs in California but taking a look at both the governmental bodies’ and the job boards’ information generally provided by the people who work in the area, the highest salary of EMTs in California is somewhere around $70,000 annually.
Even though it is not high than the national average income in the United States, it is definitely significantly higher than the average EMT salary in California.
Is Being EMT Good Or Bad?
Choosing a profession as an EMT is a wise decision. EMT is a rapidly expanding sector with several work opportunities around the country.
Furthermore, you assist people daily, and there are several prospects for advancement within the area.
Some EMTs, for example, may seek to develop their skillsets in order to earn the best salary in California.
EMTs are in high demand across the country, with 37,400 new jobs expected to be established by 2026, a 15% increase.
All in all, it is about if you like helping people and tackle the stress the job brings or not. If you like these, EMT is a solid career to choose from.
Pros and Cons of Being An EMT
Pros
- Job stability
- Easy training
- Rewarding career
- Career advancement opportunities
- Decent pay
Cons
- Mentally exhausting
- Labor intensive
- Might get boring in the long run
How To Become EMT In California?
Here’s how you can become an EMT in California:
- An associate’s or bachelor’s degree is not a necessity for employment as an EMT. Nevertheless, you must have your high school diploma or pass the GED.
- The next step is to apply for EMT training, which involves CPR certification and enrolment in a state-approved emergency medical technology education program.
- Before applying for open positions, you will need to clear a background check test.
- Now you will have to apply for state certification and clear the NREMT test.
- The last step is to give an Ambulance driver exam to obtain an Ambulance driver’s certificate.
Being an EMT is mostly about your want and likes because if you do not like to help people and go through all the stress on a daily basis of helping injured people, you probably can not succeed well even if you go through the training needed.
A Day in the Life of an EMT
How Many Hours Do EMTs Work?
EMTs are required 24×7, and so they mostly work in 12-24 hour shifts, but they work 40 hours a week just like most other professions.
Also, due to the nature of the job, they may get posted even during weekends or holidays.
What is the Starting Pay of EMTs?
The starting pay of EMTs is $9.93 an hour or $20,654 a year. With more time and experience, EMTs can earn as much as $28.14 an hour or $58,522 a year.
EMT Vs. Paramedic
EMTs Training Programs
EMT certification training programs vary widely from course to course, as long as each school fulfills local and national regulations.
In the United States, the same goes for California; EMRs must complete at least 40–80 hours of classroom training, whereas EMTs must complete at least 120–300 hours.
Beyond the usual EMT training, AEMTs often have 100-300 hours of extra classroom instruction.
Clinical rotations are usually necessary for addition to the didactic teaching at each level.
In order to finish a course and become eligible for certification and licensing examinations, EMT students must spend a certain amount of time in an ambulance and on a variety of hospital services, similar to medical school clinical rotations.
You must pass the National Registry (NREMT) cognitive and psychomotor assessments and apply for certification after completing your course.
You can find these schools in most of the local districts around California and in the USA.
Also Read: How Much Do Cardiologists Make?
Conclusion
All in all, being an EMT is hard, but the pay is equally that good. Even though it will not make you rich, it still gives you a good amount to enjoy your life with your family, especially with the highest salary in California.
However, it takes effort to be an EMT as you need to have soft skills and the hard skills you can gain through the EMT training programs in California.
It is a hard job and has a lot of stress in it, but if you like it, it is definitely something enjoyable as many people around the world do.
FAQ
How much do EMTs make in California when they first start without experience?
EMTs in California without experience start from the lowest salary range.
How much do EMTs make in California if they have a lot of experience?
If they are senior enough, they certainly earn higher than the average of the state but to earn the highest salary, you need immense experience to be a leader within your EMT department.
How much do EMTs make in California if they are working in a private hospital?
Working in a private or state hospital does not create that much of a difference in the salaries of EMTs.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
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