Emergency Medical Technicians

Median salary

$44,470

Average salary

$46,830

Employment

180,510

Projected growth

5.1% growth

Annual openings

14,100

Typical entry education

Postsecondary nondegree award

What Emergency Medical Technicians Do

Assess injuries and illnesses and administer basic emergency medical care. May transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: None
Self-employed: Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 3 of 5

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Epocrates
HyperTox
Informed EMS Field Guide
Iterum eMedic
MedDataSolutions Regist*r
Medical Wizards ER & ICU ToolBox
Medical Wizards ER Suite
Medical Wizards Paramedics ToolBox

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Stress Tolerance
Self-Control
Dependability
Integrity
Adaptability
Perseverance
Attention to Detail

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

SocialHigh
RealisticHigh
InvestigativeMedium
ConventionalMedium
EnterprisingLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where emergency medical technicians make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).