Paramedics Salary
The median pay for a paramedics in Lafayette, LA is $61,880/year ($29.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $70,955 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,019/month, or 25.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Lafayette
Paramedics pay in Lafayette tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,019/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paramedics in metros near Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $54K | $59K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $59K | $64K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $49K | $58K |
| Monroe | $49K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level paramedics (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $36K 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 states
Track paramedics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lafayette numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a paramedic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for paramedics in Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paramedics typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,634/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Lafayette?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for paramedics?
Lafayette pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paramedics make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $61,880 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,900, and experienced paramedics can clear $79,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,143/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 24.6% 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 Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $70,955 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.