Finding the best job is on everybody’s mind these days. One of the most lucrative fields with the most jobs available is the medical field. There are many areas to specialize in and many different types of jobs. One of these jobs is the Emergency Medical Technician or an EMT. An EMT is a trained medical professional that answers emergency calls and provides different types of emergency medicine when needed. They are often referred to as Paramedics.
Average EMT Salary
The EMT Salary, like most jobs, has several factors that may affect the amount that you earn per year. It will depend on the training and certifications that you have, the experience that you have and also the city and state that you work in. The current average for most EMT’s is at $30,000 per year. An EMT that has just been certified can expect to make around $19,000 to $24,000 per year whereas an experienced EMT can expect to make between $35,000 to $39,000 per year.
EMT Salaries Vary From State To State
The EMT salary can also depend on what state you work in. Alaska, Georgia, Washington and New York are the top paying states with Alaska topping at $53,000 per year average. The lowest paying states are Iowa, Indiana, Oklahoma and Puerto Rico with the average in Puerto Rico only at $17,000 per year. The states that have the most EMT workers are California and Texas so there are many jobs available in those states. The top paying cities for an EMT are Portland, OR and Tacoma, WA.
Salary Is Dependent On The Company
Another thing to take into consideration when your are looking for the best EMT salary is what company you choose to work for. Some companies may offer incentives and extras where some companies do not offer anything to you other than your hourly rate. EMT’s that work for bigger corporations such as hospitals or fire departments tend to make more whereas the EMT who works for a first aid or school type setting may be on the lower end of the salary range.
Increase Salary By Continuing Education
Where you are employed will also depend on the amount of training and certifications that you have. To be employed by a hospital or fire department will usually require that you have a Intermediate or Advanced EMT certification. You can also increase your salary by becoming certified and taking specialized courses that will put you into the higher percentile than the average EMT. Some certifications that you can obtain to increase your salary are EMT-Basic, First Responder, and EMT-Intermediate/Advanced.
As an EMT, you are one of the first responders on the scene. The care that you provide can be the care that saves someone’s life. This is a very important field to be in and it can be very lucrative for you as well. If you want to help people and understand how the human body works then this is the perfect job for you. As you can see, there are many things that can affect your level of salary. Becoming the best at your job, the certifications and training that you have and even where you live can make a big difference.