Paramedic Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Paramedics in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $74,900 a year — 24% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $57,769 take-home, or $4,814 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median paramedic salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,648
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,644
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,086
- California income tax$2,780
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$974
- Take-home pay$57,769
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.00% state
Paramedic pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $60,240 | $28.96 | $48,136 | $4,011 |
| 25th percentile | $60,460 | $29.07 | $48,297 | $4,025 |
| Median (50th) | $74,900 | $36.01 | $57,769 | $4,814 |
| 75th percentile | $87,280 | $41.96 | $65,209 | $5,434 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $102,050 | $49.06 | $74,034 | $6,170 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $74,900 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median paramedic's $57,769 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,868 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Paramedic jobs are less concentrated in Los Angeles, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.30), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for paramedics, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #22 of 40 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $123,310 | $95,548 | $85,977 |
| 2 | Memphis, TN | $66,830 | $55,845 | $60,583 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $77,670 | $59,771 | $57,697 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $67,290 | $56,169 | $57,276 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $77,430 | $59,560 | $56,820 |
| 6 | Salt Lake City, UT | $71,440 | $56,839 | $56,350 |
| 7 | Nashville, TN | $63,450 | $53,162 | $55,183 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $79,550 | $61,095 | $54,276 |
| 22 | Los Angeles, CA | $74,900 | $57,769 | $50,868 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 40 metros →
Paramedic salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $83,090
- Riverside, CA — $72,520
Frequently asked questions
How much does a paramedic make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median paramedic salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $74,900 a year, or about $36.01 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $60,460 and $87,280.
What is a paramedic’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $74,900 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $57,769 a year ($4,814 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,754 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a paramedic?
Pay here is 24% above the national median of $60,600. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,868 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #22 of 40 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a paramedic afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 47% of a median paramedic’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- Psychiatrist — $239,200+
- Physicians, All Other — $196,760
- Pediatricians, General — $176,900
- Radiation Therapist — $169,150
- Physician Assistant — $161,890
- Nurse Practitioner — $161,470
- Veterinarian — $160,080
- Pharmacist — $157,440
- Nuclear Medicine Technologist — $156,410
- Dentists, General — $139,990
- Optometrist — $138,940
- Registered Nurse — $135,560