EMT
State-by-state licensing requirements, salary data, and career ROI
What Is an EMT?
Emergency Medical Technicians provide pre-hospital emergency care — assessing patients, performing CPR, controlling bleeding, splinting fractures, and transporting to hospitals. They work on ambulances, in fire departments, and at event venues. EMT-Basic certification requires roughly 120–150 hours of training and passing the NREMT cognitive and psychomotor exams.
The Landscape
Hawaii, at $61,310, and Alaska, at $56,900, stand out as genuine outliers, where the extreme cost of living, coupled with geographic isolation and smaller labor pools, drives compensation far above the national average. While all 51 states do mandate licensing for EMTs, the path to certification and renewal varies; for example, New York uniquely bypasses the NREMT exam for initial certification, potentially complicating reciprocity for those moving from other states.
Beyond salary, candidates should note diverse continuing education requirements, ranging from Massachusetts' 20 hours every two years to Missouri's demanding 100 hours over five years. Furthermore, states like California decentralize certification to local EMS agencies, introducing regional variations in application processes, while Colorado and Montana simplify renewal by directly tying it to maintaining NREMT certification rather than separate state CE.
EMT by State
Click any state for detailed requirements, salary percentiles, and ROI analysis.
| State | License Required | Median Salary | vs. National | Time to Complete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | $36,260 | -12.3% | 3-6 months |
| Alaska | Yes | $56,900 | +37.6% | — |
| Arizona | Yes | $38,110 | -7.8% | 3-6 months |
| Arkansas | Yes | $31,710 | -23.3% | 3-6 months |
| California | No | $45,680 | +10.5% | Varies (EMT programs can range from a few weeks to several months, plus background check processing time) |
| Colorado | Yes | $43,950 | +6.3% | 3-6 months |
| Connecticut | Yes | $47,550 | +15.0% | Varies (4-6 weeks for application processing) |
| Delaware | Yes | $45,310 | +9.6% | 3-6 months |
| District of Columbia | Yes | $45,920 | +11.1% | 3-6 months |
| Florida | Yes | $40,420 | -2.2% | 4-6 months (for training program) |
| Georgia | Yes | $39,250 | -5.1% | 3-6 months |
| Hawaii | Yes | $61,310 | +48.3% | 3-6 months |
| Idaho | Yes | $39,430 | -4.6% | 3-6 months |
| Illinois | Yes | $40,780 | -1.4% | 4-6 months |
| Indiana | Yes | $39,850 | -3.6% | Varies (EMT courses typically 150-170 hours, some as short as 5 months) |
| Iowa | Yes | $39,260 | -5.0% | 3-6 months for training program, plus 2 weeks for application processing |
| Kansas | Yes | $34,650 | -16.2% | 3-6 months |
| Kentucky | Yes | $36,050 | -12.8% | 3-6 months |
| Louisiana | Yes | $33,990 | -17.8% | 3-6 months |
| Maine | Yes | $45,720 | +10.6% | 3-6 months |
| Maryland | Yes | $47,390 | +14.6% | 3-6 months |
| Massachusetts | Yes | $45,970 | +11.2% | 3-4 weeks for application processing (after NREMT certification) |
| Michigan | Yes | $38,890 | -5.9% | 3-6 months |
| Minnesota | Yes | $45,690 | +10.5% | 3-6 months |
| Mississippi | Yes | $35,980 | -13.0% | 4-6 months |
| Missouri | Yes | $38,580 | -6.7% | 3-5 weeks (application processing) |
| Montana | Yes | $34,900 | -15.6% | 3-6 months |
| Nebraska | Yes | $39,370 | -4.8% | 3-6 months |
| Nevada | Yes | $38,980 | -5.7% | 3-6 months |
| New Hampshire | Yes | $45,170 | +9.3% | 3-6 months |
| New Jersey | Yes | $49,500 | +19.7% | 3-6 months |
| New Mexico | Yes | $36,850 | -10.9% | 3-6 months |
| New York | Yes | $46,000 | +11.3% | 4-6 months |
| North Carolina | Yes | $40,530 | -2.0% | Varies (EMT programs can be completed in a semester or as quickly as a few weeks for intensive courses; state exam must be taken within one year of course completion, NREMT within two years). |
| North Dakota | Yes | $37,670 | -8.9% | 3-6 months |
| Ohio | Yes | $38,140 | -7.7% | 4-6 months |
| Oklahoma | Yes | $32,420 | -21.6% | 3-6 months |
| Oregon | Yes | $48,070 | +16.3% | 3-6 months |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | $38,580 | -6.7% | 3-6 months |
| Rhode Island | Yes | $49,500 | +19.7% | 3-6 months |
| South Carolina | Yes | $38,670 | -6.5% | 3-6 months |
| South Dakota | Yes | $39,520 | -4.4% | — |
| Tennessee | Yes | $37,630 | -9.0% | 3-6 months |
| Texas | Yes | $37,000 | -10.5% | 3-6 months |
| Utah | Yes | $36,940 | -10.6% | — |
| Vermont | Yes | $39,520 | -4.4% | — |
| Virginia | Yes | $45,060 | +9.0% | Varies (EMT program typically 150+ hours) |
| Washington | Yes | $48,850 | +18.2% | 3-6 months |
| West Virginia | Yes | $35,060 | -15.2% | 3-6 months |
| Wisconsin | Yes | $43,340 | +4.8% | 3-6 months |
| Wyoming | Yes | $41,330 | -0.0% | — |
Highest-Paying States for EMTs
| # | State | Median Salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $61,310 | 550 |
| 2 | Alaska | $56,900 | 290 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $49,500 | 5,630 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $49,500 | 520 |
| 5 | Washington | $48,850 | 3,280 |
| 6 | Oregon | $48,070 | 1,760 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $47,550 | 2,100 |
| 8 | Maryland | $47,390 | 2,970 |
| 9 | New York | $46,000 | 14,350 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $45,970 | 4,270 |