Emergency Medical Technicians Salary
In Wisconsin, emergency medical technicians earn $43,060 at the median, or about $20.7 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $45,648 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 40.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in Wisconsin?
About emergency medical technicians
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Emergency medical technicians pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 40.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level emergency medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Medical Technicians salary by metro in Wisconsin
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan | $49K | +15% | 70 |
| Fond du Lac | $49K | +14% | 70 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $49K | +14% | 830 |
| Appleton | $47K | +9% | 70 |
| Eau Claire | $46K | +8% | 100 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $46K | +7% | 120 |
| Green Bay | $45K | +5% | 150 |
| Madison | $44K | +2% | 520 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $41K | -5% | 80 |
| Wausau | $39K | -9% | 70 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $38K | -11% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
Compare to other states
Track emergency medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a emergency medical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 40.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new emergency medical technicians typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,013/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for emergency medical technicians?
Wisconsin pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do emergency medical technicians make in Wisconsin?
The median is $43,060 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,550, and experienced emergency medical technicians can clear $60,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,950/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 40.7% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $45,648 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.