Emergency Medical Technicians Salary
In California, emergency medical technicians earn $46,380 at the median, or about $22.3 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $43,697 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 77.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in California?
About emergency medical technicians
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What this looks like in California
Emergency medical technicians pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 77.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level emergency medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Medical Technicians salary by metro in California
21 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redding | $60K | +30% | 80 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $55K | +18% | 830 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $52K | +12% | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $51K | +11% | 3,580 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $50K | +7% | 1,250 |
| Napa | $49K | +6% | 120 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $48K | +3% | 270 |
| Salinas | $47K | +2% | 130 |
| Modesto | $47K | +2% | 440 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $46K | -1% | 350 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $46K | -1% | 340 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $45K | -3% | 120 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $45K | -3% | 6,610 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $44K | -6% | 1,750 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $44K | -6% | 2,340 |
| Yuba City | $43K | -6% | 90 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $43K | -6% | 390 |
| El Centro | $40K | -14% | 50 |
| Visalia | $40K | -15% | 170 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $39K | -15% | N/A |
| Fresno | $39K | -16% | 710 |
Showing 1–10 of 21 metros
Compare to other states
Track emergency medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a emergency medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 77.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency medical technicians typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,324/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 106% 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 California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for emergency medical technicians?
California pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do emergency medical technicians make in California?
The median is $46,380 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,740, and experienced emergency medical technicians can clear $78,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,186/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 77.6% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median emergency medical technicians salary is worth about $43,697 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.