$ PaycheckDecoded

Paramedic Salary

Paramedics earn a median $60,600 a year nationally. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

U.S. median
$60,600
$29.13 per hour
Range
$44,230 – $84,850
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
100,610
across the U.S.

Paramedic take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Paramedic
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$50,872
per year · effective tax rate 16.1%
$4,239Monthly
$2,120Twice a month
$1,957Every 2 weeks
$24.46Hourly
  • Federal income tax$5,092
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,757
  • Medicare (1.45%)$879
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$50,872

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)$44,230$21.26$37,719
25th percentile$49,660$23.88$42,082
Median (50th)$60,600$29.13$50,872
75th percentile$73,470$35.32$60,516
90th percentile (top earners)$84,850$40.79$68,522

Best cities for paramedics (after tax & cost of living)

#Metro areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1Seattle, WA$123,310$95,548$85,977750
2Memphis, TN$66,830$55,845$60,583810
3Chicago, IL$77,670$59,771$57,6972,560
4Austin, TX$67,290$56,169$57,276890
5Minneapolis, MN$77,430$59,560$56,820820
6Salt Lake City, UT$71,440$56,839$56,350660
7Nashville, TN$63,450$53,162$55,1831,310
8New York, NY$79,550$61,095$54,2763,850
9San Francisco, CA$83,090$62,706$54,238780
10Philadelphia, PA$68,640$55,011$53,6411,760
11Washington, DC$75,190$58,285$53,530840
12Raleigh, NC$65,220$52,491$53,476470
13St. Louis, MO$63,050$50,815$53,4401,890
14Cleveland, OH$60,490$49,903$53,131880
15Riverside, CA$72,520$56,316$52,907580
16Pittsburgh, PA$61,900$50,016$52,8321,060
17Indianapolis, IN$61,770$50,019$52,269810
18Kansas City, MO$59,520$48,144$52,024750
19Houston, TX$60,130$50,494$51,1961,980
20Milwaukee, WI$61,430$49,617$51,185670
21Charlotte, NC$61,660$49,772$51,1281,180
22Los Angeles, CA$74,900$57,769$50,8681,200
23Baltimore, MD$66,330$52,689$50,4261,000
24Las Vegas, NV$59,770$50,205$50,097640
25Miami, FL$68,160$56,781$49,7401,650

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Paramedic salary by state

StateMedianTake-homeRangeJobs
Washington $104,310$82,212 $61,010 – $133,0402,110
New Jersey $86,630$66,446 $76,260 – $99,420540
Hawaii $81,280$61,363 $66,250 – $81,440140
District of Columbia $78,550$60,382 $62,980 – $96,64090
Connecticut $77,480$60,651 $60,370 – $90,0601,000
Minnesota $76,300$58,842 $60,320 – $93,9101,690
Oregon $74,840$55,761 $51,850 – $95,9001,210
California $74,590$57,579 $53,370 – $102,4505,190
New York $73,200$56,970 $55,900 – $98,0506,110
Alaska $71,860$59,384 $53,820 – $103,550310
Maryland $66,660$52,923 $51,020 – $101,8601,910
Massachusetts $66,340$52,387 $60,410 – $84,5401,860
Utah $65,420$52,767 $45,820 – $94,620960
Delaware $64,240$50,898 $50,550 – $102,140340
New Hampshire $64,210$53,773 $53,180 – $79,370420
Wyoming $64,040$53,636 $47,520 – $80,070230
Colorado $63,910$51,428 $49,110 – $87,3202,110
Rhode Island $63,550$51,476 $50,960 – $81,490160
Maine $63,050$49,766 $54,810 – $78,340470
North Dakota $62,320$52,254 $48,270 – $75,440220
Pennsylvania $61,000$49,321 $48,040 – $81,5904,750
Illinois $60,660$48,062 $47,210 – $106,8103,890
Iowa $60,590$49,213 $47,750 – $78,1401,170
Virginia $60,480$48,112 $42,520 – $77,2801,960
Idaho $60,380$48,603 $48,940 – $83,510440
Vermont $60,360$49,091 $47,140 – $76,150190
Indiana $60,320$48,897 $46,040 – $76,0302,680
Florida $60,140$50,502 $44,050 – $85,3906,970
Wisconsin $59,710$48,311 $46,530 – $75,7601,990
Nevada $59,280$49,811 $49,320 – $83,580950
Missouri $59,180$47,887 $45,480 – $81,3003,300
Arizona $58,600$48,009 $46,180 – $76,5402,200
Tennessee $57,690$48,534 $41,410 – $80,1903,710
Georgia $57,660$46,140 $40,600 – $82,9803,250
Texas $57,500$48,381 $41,030 – $77,7008,410
North Carolina $57,320$46,458 $44,730 – $75,1705,660
Nebraska $56,230$45,682 $45,240 – $76,710490
Louisiana $56,050$45,921 $37,530 – $63,4702,040
New Mexico $55,530$45,354 $39,830 – $78,010810
Mississippi $54,630$44,622 $39,690 – $71,7101,150
South Carolina $53,550$43,152 $40,710 – $67,1802,250
Michigan $52,080$42,064 $43,400 – $66,0702,750
Ohio $51,300$42,771 $38,750 – $72,1403,600
Kansas $51,020$41,127 $40,780 – $64,0901,030
Montana $50,890$41,435 $35,590 – $70,190300
Arkansas $50,310$40,855 $38,840 – $72,8801,170
Kentucky $49,890$40,638 $40,050 – $66,8201,800
South Dakota $48,830$41,415 $30,950 – $58,380280
Alabama $48,540$39,020 $36,160 – $62,2301,700
West Virginia $48,460$39,665 $35,930 – $62,8001,090
Oklahoma $46,790$38,216 $37,180 – $61,3101,590

Frequently asked questions

How much does a paramedic make?

The national median salary for paramedics is $60,600 a year ($29.13 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $44,230 and the top 10% earn over $84,850. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays paramedics the most?

Washington has the highest median pay at $104,310. After taxes and local prices, Seattle, WA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many paramedics are there in the U.S.?

About 100,610 people work as paramedics nationwide.

All 40 cities