Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Emergency Medical Technicians vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess out-earn Emergency Medical Technicianss by $20K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Emergency Medical Technicianss land at $44,470 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess at $64,400. The education gap is real: emergency medical technician programs typically require bachelor's degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Emergency Medical Technicianss is Hawaii ($66,410); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess it's Washington ($83,150).

Emergency Medical Technicians
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$44,470
$64,400
Hourly rate
$21.38/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$34,130
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$62,500
$83,440
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
180,510
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
Hawaii
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Emergency Medical Technicians median pay.

State
Emergency Medical Technicians
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Alaska
$57,440
$80,800
New Jersey
$53,610
$75,160
Washington
$52,690
$83,150
Rhode Island
$51,290
$80,090
Connecticut
$50,640
$73,690
Massachusetts
$50,230
$80,220
Oregon
$49,270
$80,470
Maryland
$48,100
$74,660
New Hampshire
$46,790
$77,110
District of Columbia
$46,650
$75,740
California
$46,380
$79,750
Colorado
$45,750
$73,880
Illinois
$42,260
$75,000
Arizona
$39,500
$77,070
Nevada
$37,560
$76,160

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Emergency Medical Technicianss or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess earn more nationally. The median is $44,470 for Emergency Medical Technicianss versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess, a difference of $20K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Emergency Medical Technicians or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Emergency Medical Technicians or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Emergency Medical Technicians typically requires bachelor's degree. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Emergency Medical Technicianss get paid the most?

Hawaii is the top-paying state for Emergency Medical Technicianss at $66,410/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Emergency Medical Technicians vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Alaska, Emergency Medical Technicianss earn $57,440 vs. $80,800 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Emergency Medical Technicians salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Emergency Medical Technicianss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →How to become a emergency medical techniciansGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →