Emergency Medical Technicians: Job Description
Assess injuries and illnesses and administer basic emergency medical care. May transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.
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The Daily Work of Emergency Medical Technicians Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of emergency medical technicians cover:
- Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
- Assess nature and extent of illness or injury to establish and prioritize medical procedures.
- Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.
- Comfort and reassure patients.
- Communicate with dispatchers or treatment center personnel to provide information about situation, to arrange reception of survivors, or to receive instructions for further treatment.
- Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
- Decontaminate ambulance interior following treatment of patient with infectious disease, and report case to proper authorities.
- Drive mobile intensive care unit to specified location, following instructions from emergency medical dispatcher.
Types of Emergency Medical Technicians Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
- Ambulance Driver
- Dispatcher
- EMT Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic)
- EMT-B (Emergency Medical Technician- Basic)
- EMT-I/85
- EMT-I/99
- EMT-P
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 2,764,765 emergency medical technicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +14.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Emergency Medical Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $105,175 |
| Hourly median | $50.57 |
| 10th percentile | $59,451 |
| 25th percentile | $82,313 |
| 75th percentile | $128,038 |
| 90th percentile | $150,900 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Emergency Medical Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $61,310 |
| Alaska | $56,900 |
| New Jersey | $49,500 |
| Rhode Island | $49,500 |
| Washington | $48,850 |
| Oregon | $48,070 |
| Connecticut | $47,550 |
| Maryland | $47,390 |
| Virgin Islands | $47,040 |
| New York | $46,000 |
| Massachusetts | $45,970 |
| District of Columbia | $45,920 |
| Maine | $45,720 |
| Minnesota | $45,690 |
| California | $45,680 |
| Delaware | $45,310 |
| New Hampshire | $45,170 |
| Virginia | $45,060 |
| Colorado | $43,950 |
| Wisconsin | $43,340 |
| Wyoming | $41,330 |
| Illinois | $40,780 |
| North Carolina | $40,530 |
| Florida | $40,420 |
| Indiana | $39,850 |
| Vermont | $39,520 |
| South Dakota | $39,520 |
| Idaho | $39,430 |
| Nebraska | $39,370 |
| Iowa | $39,260 |
| Georgia | $39,250 |
| Nevada | $38,980 |
| Michigan | $38,890 |
| South Carolina | $38,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,580 |
| Missouri | $38,580 |
| Ohio | $38,140 |
| Arizona | $38,110 |
| North Dakota | $37,670 |
| Tennessee | $37,630 |
| Texas | $37,000 |
| Utah | $36,940 |
| New Mexico | $36,850 |
| Alabama | $36,260 |
| Kentucky | $36,050 |
| Mississippi | $35,980 |
| West Virginia | $35,060 |
| Montana | $34,900 |
| Kansas | $34,650 |
| Louisiana | $33,990 |
| Oklahoma | $32,420 |
| Arkansas | $31,710 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,360 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for emergency medical technicians shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $46,332 | 14.7% | 0.88 |
| New England | $45,804 | 5.5% | 1.23 |
| Middle Atlantic | $44,545 | 19.1% | 1.28 |
| Rocky Mountains | $40,919 | 3.7% | 0.97 |
| Great Lakes | $40,200 | 14.3% | 1.03 |
| Plains States | $39,780 | 6.5% | 1.10 |
| Southeast | $38,871 | 24.1% | 1.07 |
| Southwest | $36,709 | 11.6% | 0.94 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $63,880 | 440 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $58,250 | 750 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $53,920 | 100 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $52,140 | 130 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | FL | $51,300 | 110 |
| Vineland, NJ | NJ | $51,040 | 150 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $50,750 | 490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $50,400 | 1,440 |
Which Industries Hire Emergency Medical Technicians
The largest employers of emergency medical technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 124,100 | $40,610 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1,730 | $42,790 |
| Educational Services | 620 | $47,940 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 280 | $44,920 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 230 | $37,030 |
| Information | 180 | $107,160 |
| Manufacturing | 140 | $53,560 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 40 | $98,740 |
Below are examples of industries where emergency medical technicians work:
Tools and Technology
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Education and Training
This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Respiratory Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Registered Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Acute Care Nurses (Primary-Long)
- Critical Care Nurses (Supplemental)
- Nurse Anesthetists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring emergency medical technicians typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2042.00 (Emergency Medical Technicians).
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