Paramedics Salary
The median pay for a paramedics in Salem, OR is $77,460/year ($37.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.65), that's roughly $74,732 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,560/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $77K get you in Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salem’s Regional Price Parity (103.65). 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 Salem
Salem sits well above the national pay line for paramedics, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,560/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.65) 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 Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield | $64K | $63K |
| Reno | $65K | $64K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $75K | $66K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $83K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salem, OR
Entry-level paramedics (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $55K 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 Salem numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a paramedic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salem?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,560/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for paramedics in Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paramedics typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,455/month. At HUD’s $1,560/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Salem?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $77K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Salem compare to the national average for paramedics?
Salem pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paramedics make in Salem, OR?
The median is $77,460 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,910, and experienced paramedics can clear $95,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,719/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,560/month, which eats 33.1% 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 Salem?
Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 103.65 (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 $74,732 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.