Paramedics Salary
The median pay for a paramedics in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is $120,260/year ($57.82/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.67), that's roughly $116,003 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,960/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $120K get you in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater’s Regional Price Parity (103.67). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater sits well above the national pay line for paramedics, local pay runs about 98% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,960/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.67) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paramedics in metros near Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $123K | $111K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $79K | $79K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $101K | $101K |
| 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, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Entry-level paramedics (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $120K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $85K 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a paramedic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $120K, rent takes 25.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,960/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for paramedics in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paramedics typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,981/month. At HUD’s $1,960/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Local pay is 98% above the national median — $120K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater compare to the national average for paramedics?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater pays $120K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +98%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paramedics make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?
The median is $120,260 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,690, and experienced paramedics can clear $134,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $120K enough to live in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,746/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,960/month, which eats 25.3% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has a Regional Price Parity of 103.67 (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 $116,003 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.