# Paramedics

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/paramedics
- SOC code: 29-2043.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $60,600 (10th percentile $44,230, 90th percentile $84,850)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +5.7%
- Openings a year: 4,300
- 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) | 70 |
| Investigative (I) | 67 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 75 |
| Enterprising (E) | 15 |
| Conventional (C) | 40 |

## What you'd do

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

## 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

## 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

## 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

- [Emergency Medical Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-medical-technicians): $44,470 median pay
- [Registered Nurses](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/registered-nurses): $97,550 median pay
- [Acute Care Nurses](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/acute-care-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
- [Critical Care Nurses](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/critical-care-nurses): $97,550 median pay
- [Surgical Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/surgical-assistants): $66,800 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.