Paramedics Salary
The median pay for a paramedics in Bellingham, WA is $119,970/year ($57.68/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $109K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $116,104 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,794/month, or 22.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $120K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). 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 paramedics
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What this looks like in Bellingham
Bellingham sits well above the national pay line for paramedics, local pay runs about 98% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,794/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Bellingham offers a genuinely strong financial position for paramedicss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paramedics in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $123K | $111K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $79K | $79K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $120K | $116K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $120K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level paramedics (10th percentile) start around $109K. Mid-career wages sit at $120K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Paramedics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Paramedics salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $104K | +72% | 2,110 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +43% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $81K | +34% | 140 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +30% | 90 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +28% | 1,000 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +26% | 1,690 |
| Oregon | $75K | +23% | 1,210 |
| California | $75K | +23% | 5,190 |
| New York | $73K | +21% | 6,110 |
| Alaska | $72K | +19% | 310 |
| Maryland | $67K | +10% | 1,910 |
| Massachusetts | $66K | +9% | 1,860 |
| Utah | $65K | +8% | 960 |
| Delaware | $64K | +6% | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | +6% | 420 |
| Wyoming | $64K | +6% | 230 |
| Colorado | $64K | +5% | 2,110 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +5% | 160 |
| Maine | $63K | +4% | 470 |
| North Dakota | $62K | +3% | 220 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | +1% | 4,750 |
| Illinois | $61K | +0% | 3,890 |
| Iowa | $61K | -0% | 1,170 |
| Virginia | $60K | -0% | 1,960 |
| Idaho | $60K | -0% | 440 |
| Vermont | $60K | -0% | 190 |
| Indiana | $60K | -0% | 2,680 |
| Florida | $60K | -1% | 6,970 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -1% | 1,990 |
| Nevada | $59K | -2% | 950 |
| Missouri | $59K | -2% | 3,300 |
| Arizona | $59K | -3% | 2,200 |
| Tennessee | $58K | -5% | 3,710 |
| Georgia | $58K | -5% | 3,250 |
| Texas | $58K | -5% | 8,410 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -5% | 5,660 |
| Nebraska | $56K | -7% | 490 |
| Louisiana | $56K | -8% | 2,040 |
| New Mexico | $56K | -8% | 810 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -10% | 1,150 |
| South Carolina | $54K | -12% | 2,250 |
| Michigan | $52K | -14% | 2,750 |
| Ohio | $51K | -15% | 3,600 |
| Kansas | $51K | -16% | 1,030 |
| Montana | $51K | -16% | 300 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -17% | 1,170 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -18% | 1,800 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -19% | 280 |
| Alabama | $49K | -20% | 1,700 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -20% | 1,090 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -23% | 1,590 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track paramedics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bellingham numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a paramedic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
Yes — at the median salary of $120K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for paramedics in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paramedics typically earn — is $109K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,560/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is paramedic a high-paying job in Bellingham?
Local pay is 98% above the national median — $120K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for paramedics?
Bellingham pays $120K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +98%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paramedics make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $119,970 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $109,330, and experienced paramedics can clear $123,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $120K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,729/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 23.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a paramedics salary go in Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (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 paramedics salary is worth about $116,104 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do paramedics 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.