Paramedics Salary
The median pay for a paramedics in Florida is $60,140/year ($28.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $61,006 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 39.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $60K get you in Florida?
About paramedics
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What this looks like in Florida
Paramedics pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 39.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level paramedics (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Paramedics salary by metro in Florida
17 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie | $79K | +31% | 310 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $68K | +13% | 1,650 |
| Gainesville | $62K | +3% | 110 |
| Jacksonville | $61K | +1% | 250 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $60K | +0% | 350 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $60K | -0% | 180 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $60K | -0% | 960 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $59K | -2% | 630 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $59K | -3% | 90 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $59K | -3% | 70 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $59K | -3% | 860 |
| Tallahassee | $57K | -5% | 270 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $56K | -7% | 130 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $50K | -17% | 210 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $48K | -21% | 160 |
| Homosassa Springs | $47K | -21% | 110 |
| Ocala | $45K | -25% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 17 metros
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Track paramedics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paramedic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for paramedics in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paramedics typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,643/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 63% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is paramedic a high-paying job in Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for paramedics?
Florida pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paramedics make in Florida?
The median is $60,140 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,050, and experienced paramedics can clear $85,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,197/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 39.5% 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 paramedics salary go in Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 paramedics salary is worth about $61,006 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.