# Emergency Medical Technicians

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

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-medical-technicians
- SOC code: 29-2042.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $44,470 (10th percentile $34,130, 90th percentile $62,500)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +5.8%
- Openings a year: 13,800
- Typical entry education: Postsecondary certificate
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SRI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 74 |
| Investigative (I) | 60 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 76 |
| Enterprising (E) | 9 |
| Conventional (C) | 46 |

## Also called

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), Ambulance Driver, Dispatcher, Emergency Department Technician (ED Technician), Emergency Medical Driver, Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician - Basic (EMT-B), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Emergency Room Technician, EMT Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5109) (CIP 5109, 1,504 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Wagner College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wagner-college-3148) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $156,982 | $27,000 |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $102,500 | $142,774 | $23,325 |
| [John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences](https://www.collegesref.com/college/john-patrick-university-of-health-and-applied-sciences-1341) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $112,673 | $122,061 | $23,437 |
| [Saint Francis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-francis-university-2301) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $115,813 | $28,000 |
| [D'Youville University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/d-youville-university-755) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $113,290 | $114,737 | $30,703 |
| [Molloy College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/molloy-college-1749) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,567 | $111,267 | not reported |
| [Salisbury University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/salisbury-university-2329) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $75,312 | $109,739 | $23,250 |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,526 | $107,539 | $22,000 |

## Related careers

- [Paramedics](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/paramedics): $60,600 median pay
- [Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/ambulance-drivers-and-attendants-except-emergency-medical-technicians): $35,450 median pay
- [Surgical Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/surgical-assistants): $66,800 median pay
- [Registered Nurses](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/registered-nurses): $97,550 median pay
- [Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/licensed-practical-and-licensed-vocational-nurses): $64,400 median pay
- [Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cardiovascular-technologists-and-technicians): $74,310 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.