SOC 29-2043.00Bright outlook

    Paramedics

    Administer basic or advanced emergency medical care and assess injuries and illnesses.

    Median pay
    $60,600
    Growth
    +5.7%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    4,300
    Typical education
    Postsecondary certificate

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $44,230
    Median
    $60,600
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $84,850
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    100,610 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Paramedics provide urgent medical care and evaluate injuries or illnesses during emergencies. The career offers a median annual pay of $60,600, with opportunities for faster-than-average employment growth.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What paramedics do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    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.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    Paramedics respond to emergencies to assist and care for sick or injured individuals. On a daily basis, they make critical decisions, solve problems, and perform general physical activities to help patients. Their tasks include administering medication intravenously, using specialized equipment like EKGs, and providing advanced life support. They must operate emergency vehicles, gather patient information, and document their findings.

    This role is highly social and requires strong service orientation, coordination, and active listening. Paramedics must understand medicine, public safety, biology, and customer service. Because they work directly with the public in high-pressure situations, they need exceptional stress tolerance, self-control, and empathy. They must also be dependable, detail-oriented, and highly adaptable.

    How to get there

    To enter this career, individuals typically need a postsecondary certificate. The preparation level is classified as medium, which usually involves vocational training, an associate degree, or related experience. Relevant college majors include allied health diagnostic, intervention, and treatment professions.

    Professional certifications can help paramedics advance. Examples include the Nationally Registered Paramedic credential from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, the Tactical Responder Certification from the Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification, and the Vascular Access-Board Certified credential from the Vascular Access Certification Corporation. Additionally, some states list a license for this work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for paramedics was $60,600. Salaries range from less than $44,230 for the lowest 10% of earners to more than $84,850 for the highest 10% of earners. There are 100,610 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 5.7%, which is faster than average. This growth is expected to result in 4,300 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    70 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    67 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S) · strongest
    75 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    15 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    40 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code SRI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    96
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    88
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    86
    Documenting/Recording Information
    83
    Getting Information
    79
    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    79
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    79
    Performing General Physical Activities
    78
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    77
    Handling and Moving Objects
    75
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Service Orientation
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Active Listening
    • Monitoring
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Active Learning
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • English Language
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Biology
    • Education and Training
    • Psychology
    • Mathematics
    • Transportation
    • Telecommunications

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Expression
    • Speech Recognition
    • Information Ordering
    • Speech Clarity
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

    Work styles

    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Dependability
    • Adaptability
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Perseverance
    • Cooperation
    • Empathy
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Critical Care Flight Paramedic · Critical Care Paramedic · ED Paramedic (Emergency Department Paramedic) · EMT Paramedic (Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic) · ER Paramedic (Emergency Room Paramedic) · Firefighter Paramedic · First Responder · Flight Paramedic · Paramedic Specialist (PS) · Rescue Worker

    Career pathway

    From your interests to paramedics

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Paramedics$60,600 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Wagner College logo
      Wagner College

      Staten Island, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $156,982
      Median debt
      $27,000
    2. 2St. John's University-New York logo
      St. John's University-New York

      Queens, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $102,500
      4 yrs after
      $142,774
      Median debt
      $23,325
    3. 3John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences logo
      John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences

      South Bend, IN · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $112,673
      4 yrs after
      $122,061
      Median debt
      $23,437
    4. 4Saint Francis University logo
      Saint Francis University

      Loretto, PA · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $115,813
      Median debt
      $28,000
    5. 5D'Youville University logo
      D'Youville University

      Buffalo, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $113,290
      4 yrs after
      $114,737
      Median debt
      $30,703
    6. 6Molloy College logo
      Molloy College

      Rockville Centre, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $90,567
      4 yrs after
      $111,267
      Median debt
      Not reported
    7. 7Salisbury University logo
      Salisbury University

      Salisbury, MD · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $75,312
      4 yrs after
      $109,739
      Median debt
      $23,250
    8. 8Long Island University logo
      Long Island University

      Brookville, NY · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $90,526
      4 yrs after
      $107,539
      Median debt
      $22,000

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What paramedics may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    42 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about paramedics

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common alternative job titles for paramedics?

    People in this profession are also called Critical Care Flight Paramedics, EMT Paramedics, Firefighter Paramedics, First Responders, and Flight Paramedics.

    What are the key skills needed to be a paramedic?

    Paramedics rely on service orientation, coordination, critical thinking, and social perceptiveness. They also need strong skills in active listening, reading comprehension, and judgment.

    Are there any licensing requirements for paramedics?

    Yes, some states list a license for this work. Prospective paramedics should check their specific state guidelines for details.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.