Emergency Medical Technicians Salary
In South Carolina, emergency medical technicians earn $40,370 at the median, or about $19.41 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $43,329 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 45.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in South Carolina?
About emergency medical technicians
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Emergency medical technicians pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $40K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 45.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level emergency medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Medical Technicians salary by metro in South Carolina
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $45K | +11% | 780 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $42K | +5% | 540 |
| Columbia | $42K | +5% | 770 |
| Spartanburg | $40K | -1% | 580 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $40K | -1% | 90 |
| Florence | $39K | -2% | 310 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $39K | -4% | 60 |
| Sumter | $38K | -7% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track emergency medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a emergency medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 45.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency medical technicians typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,895/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $40K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for emergency medical technicians?
South Carolina pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do emergency medical technicians make in South Carolina?
The median is $40,370 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,590, and experienced emergency medical technicians can clear $49,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,793/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 45.2% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $43,329 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.