Emergency Medical Technicians Salary
In Auburn-Opelika, AL, emergency medical technicians earn $48,210 at the median, or about $23.18 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.93), which stretches that salary to about $54,828 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $995/month, about 30.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Auburn-Opelika?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Auburn-Opelika’s Regional Price Parity (87.93). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About emergency medical technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Auburn-Opelika
Emergency medical technicians pay in Auburn-Opelika tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $995/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.93 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for emergency medical technicians in metros near Auburn-Opelika, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $39K | $42K |
| Montgomery | $40K | $45K |
| Dothan | $33K | $39K |
| Anniston-Oxford | $33K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Auburn-Opelika, AL
Entry-level emergency medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Medical Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Emergency Medical Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $66K | +49% | 560 |
| Alaska | $57K | +29% | 310 |
| New Jersey | $54K | +21% | 6,120 |
| Washington | $53K | +18% | 2,940 |
| Rhode Island | $51K | +15% | 430 |
| Connecticut | $51K | +14% | 2,190 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +13% | 4,550 |
| Oregon | $49K | +11% | 1,970 |
| New York | $48K | +9% | 14,840 |
| Maryland | $48K | +8% | 3,400 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +8% | 3,160 |
| Wyoming | $47K | +6% | 400 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +5% | 1,010 |
| Delaware | $47K | +5% | 950 |
| District of Columbia | $47K | +5% | 370 |
| California | $46K | +4% | 21,880 |
| Maine | $46K | +4% | 1,110 |
| Colorado | $46K | +3% | 3,060 |
| Vermont | $46K | +3% | 790 |
| Georgia | $46K | +2% | 6,260 |
| Virginia | $45K | +2% | 4,490 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -0% | 6,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $43K | -3% | 10,160 |
| Wisconsin | $43K | -3% | 3,930 |
| Indiana | $43K | -4% | 4,160 |
| Illinois | $42K | -5% | 7,840 |
| Missouri | $42K | -5% | 2,800 |
| Nebraska | $42K | -6% | 540 |
| Iowa | $41K | -9% | 1,510 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -9% | 4,010 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -9% | 3,860 |
| Ohio | $40K | -10% | 5,560 |
| Michigan | $40K | -10% | 4,230 |
| Florida | $40K | -10% | 6,060 |
| North Dakota | $40K | -11% | 760 |
| Arizona | $40K | -11% | 3,970 |
| Utah | $39K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Idaho | $39K | -13% | 780 |
| Alabama | $38K | -15% | 2,020 |
| Nevada | $38K | -16% | 1,530 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -16% | 1,260 |
| Texas | $37K | -16% | 12,770 |
| South Dakota | $37K | -17% | 600 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -17% | 2,770 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -18% | 1,390 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -19% | 1,120 |
| Montana | $36K | -19% | 860 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -19% | 2,450 |
| Kansas | $36K | -20% | 1,510 |
| West Virginia | $34K | -23% | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $34K | -23% | 2,410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track emergency medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Auburn-Opelika numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a emergency medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Auburn-Opelika?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 31% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $995/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for emergency medical technicians in Auburn-Opelika?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency medical technicians typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,960/month. At HUD’s $995/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is emergency medical technician a high-paying job in Auburn-Opelika?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Auburn-Opelika compare to the national average for emergency medical technicians?
Auburn-Opelika pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do emergency medical technicians make in Auburn-Opelika, AL?
The median is $48,210 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,660, and experienced emergency medical technicians can clear $57,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Auburn-Opelika?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,211/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $995/month, which eats 31% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a emergency medical technicians salary go in Auburn-Opelika?
Auburn-Opelika has a Regional Price Parity of 87.93 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median emergency medical technicians salary is worth about $54,828 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do emergency medical technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.