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Paramedics: Job Description
Administer basic or advanced emergency medical care and assess injuries and illnesses. May administer medication intravenously, use equipment such as EKGs, or administer advanced life support to sick or injured individuals.
What Tasks Do Paramedics Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of paramedics include:
- Administer drugs, orally or by injection, or perform intravenous procedures.
- 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.
- Coordinate with treatment center personnel to obtain patients' vital statistics and medical history, to determine the circumstances of the emergency, and to administer emergency treatment.
- Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
- Instruct emergency medical response team about emergency interventions to ensure correct application of procedures.
Other Paramedics Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Critical Care Flight Paramedic
- Critical Care Paramedic
- ED Paramedic (Emergency Department Paramedic)
- EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)
- EMT Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic)
- ER Paramedic (Emergency Room Paramedic)
- First Responder
- Flight Paramedic
How Many Paramedics Are There?
The U.S. employs around 2,107,558 paramedics working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +14.3% over the projection horizon.
Paramedics Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $62,670 |
| Hourly median | $30.13 |
| 10th percentile | $45,036 |
| 25th percentile | $53,853 |
| 75th percentile | $71,488 |
| 90th percentile | $80,305 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $100,780 |
| District of Columbia | $80,950 |
| New Jersey | $80,100 |
| Connecticut | $75,400 |
| Oregon | $73,380 |
| California | $72,180 |
| Alaska | $68,330 |
| Minnesota | $68,000 |
| Maryland | $67,670 |
| New York | $66,420 |
| Colorado | $64,690 |
| Massachusetts | $64,010 |
| Rhode Island | $63,530 |
| Utah | $63,430 |
| Idaho | $62,640 |
| Delaware | $62,040 |
| Wyoming | $61,600 |
| New Hampshire | $60,540 |
| Nevada | $60,320 |
| North Dakota | $59,950 |
| Maine | $59,800 |
| Illinois | $59,110 |
| Florida | $58,860 |
| Virginia | $58,570 |
| Indiana | $58,260 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,670 |
| Wisconsin | $56,010 |
| Missouri | $55,600 |
| Nebraska | $54,170 |
| Texas | $53,960 |
| Iowa | $53,470 |
| Vermont | $53,010 |
| Tennessee | $52,860 |
| Georgia | $51,740 |
| Mississippi | $51,290 |
| North Carolina | $51,110 |
| Arizona | $50,860 |
| Louisiana | $50,800 |
| New Mexico | $50,340 |
| Michigan | $50,320 |
| South Carolina | $50,130 |
| Montana | $49,360 |
| Kansas | $49,090 |
| West Virginia | $48,190 |
| South Dakota | $48,070 |
| Ohio | $47,960 |
| Oklahoma | $47,890 |
| Kentucky | $47,650 |
| Arkansas | $45,710 |
| Alabama | $45,020 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,180 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for paramedics differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $76,990 | 10.4% | 0.69 |
| New England | $65,307 | 4.1% | 0.90 |
| Middle Atlantic | $64,230 | 12.1% | 0.93 |
| Rocky Mountains | $62,643 | 4.4% | 1.14 |
| Plains States | $56,795 | 7.7% | 1.18 |
| Great Lakes | $54,138 | 15.4% | 1.10 |
| Southwest | $52,556 | 12.6% | 1.04 |
| Southeast | $52,394 | 31.7% | 1.40 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Paramedics
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $129,020 | 670 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $120,870 | 110 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $108,330 | 70 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $105,250 | 80 |
| Walla Walla, WA | WA | $102,430 | 40 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $101,950 | 110 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $97,710 | 100 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | FL | $90,170 | 150 |
Which Industries Hire Paramedics
The bulk of paramedics work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 60,140 | $58,160 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 450 | $51,740 |
| Educational Services | 130 | $50,610 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 130 | $49,640 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 100 | $69,120 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 80 | $61,420 |
| Manufacturing | 30 | $62,560 |
Below are examples of industries where paramedics work:
Tools and Technology
- Operating system software: Apple iOS (hot technology)
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
Education and Training
This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating 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-Short)
- Critical Care Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Anesthetists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring paramedics commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on 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: 29-2043.00 (Paramedics).
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