Are you a superhero in regular people’s clothing then check out the best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics. These guys and gals are pretty much amazing. If you are an EMT–or studying to become one–then you probably want to check out which state is great for you to live in. Even paramedics want to know where they can buy a house at an affordable rate when they’re not singlehandedly (or double handedly saving lives). For the answers to this and more, read on.
My niece is 5 and obsessed with the television show Chicago Fire. She would love to be an EMT. In fact, she recently was helping my mom change the sheets and she said “on my count, 1, 2, 3,” as if they were moving someone from a stretcher to a hospital gurney. Thanks, Dick Wolf. It’s nice to see non-Chicagoan EMTs also have the opportunity to do well.
She would be a great EMT and be able to live in a variety of states. This is a good thing because she’s also gonna need some room for the horse farm she wants to have on the side. I respect her ambition. I don’t know many EMT/horse farmers and can confidently say that of all the multi-hypenates out there, this is one of the least common for sure.
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But, what do EMTs and paramedics really do? Is it what we see on television? For starters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics are the people we usually see at events to ensure first aid treatment in case something unexpected takes place. These people are in charge of caring for the sick and injured in emergency settings. It could be anywhere from a party, team buildings, and even in schools. In the US, people depend on EMTs and paramedics to show up when they dial 911 and to help them out in high-stress situations.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), emergency medical technicians and paramedics are responsible for responding to 911 calls, providing first aid treatment, transporting patients to the ambulance and to the emergency section of the hospital thereafter, reporting patient’s condition to attending physician, and cleaning first aid equipment after use. From the job description itself, anybody can tell how demanding the job is. To say that these people hold a big responsibility is an understatement. But I wonder how many of them also hold the added responsibility of a horse farm?
To become an emergency medical technician and paramedic is not as easy as it seems. It requires a high school diploma, a CPR certification, and several training courses–the higher level EMT license the more you need many hours of training. Because of how demanding the job is, it simply is not for everyone. Being a paramedic is more challenging than being an emergency medical technician, in terms of education. The former would need to take advanced EMT levels of instruction because they need to have advanced medical skills. Needless to say, the road to being a full-fledged licensed EMT and paramedic is–much like the song–long and winding.
Also according to BLS, the annual median salary for this occupation is $31,980. That’s just about $15.38 per hour. I would say they deserve more than that for the pressures of the job they do, but it is what it is. Do you think being an EMT and paramedic is one of the 5 best paying medical jobs with least education?
These people are usually employed by schools, hospitals, ambulance services, and the local government. The expected job growth for emergency medical technicians and paramedics is at 24%, which is actually faster than any other occupation in America. EMTs and paramedics work in varying shifts since emergencies can occur at any time. This is also one of the most challenging parts of the job. Needless to say, this occupation needs patience and physical stamina, but the fulfillment one gets after giving a successful first aid treatment and emergency response makes the job a very rewarding one.
Choosing the best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics is more than just looking at the wages. Topping this list are states hitting the perfect combination of great pay, low cost of living, and fair employment rates for these workers.
The criteria we used for the list include cost of living, annual median salaries, and employment rates. Cost of living index for each state was sourced from the Missouri Economic and Research Information Center, while the data for employment rates and salaries were derived from BLS. Each ranking was averaged, which gave us the results reflected in the article.
Read on to know more about the best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
25. Connecticut
Annual median salary: $44,160
Cost of living: 131
Employment: 3,200
Connecticut is a decent state for you to save lives, but there are more monetarily rewarding ones!
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24. Oklahoma
Annual median salary: $28,160
Cost of living: 88.6
Employment: 3,460
Being the fifth most affordable state in America, practically the most meager of wages can survive Oklahoma.
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23. Florida
Annual median salary: $29,490
Cost of living: 99
Employment: 9,610
You can live near the beach and contribute to your community! Win-win.
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22. Kentucky
Annual median salary: $28,690
Cost of living: 90.8
Employment: 4,560
Their cheap cost of Kentucky’s living expenses never fails to put them on the list of best states, this time in this list of the best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
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21. Iowa
Annual median salary: $31,000
Cost of living: 91.7
Employment: 2,390
Iowa is one of America’s cheapest states to live, so perhaps it’s right for you.
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20. California
Annual median salary: $33,240
Cost of living: 135
Employment: 16,720
California almost always has the best employment rates. What discourages some people from moving to The Golden State is how expensive it is to sustain a decent living there.
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19. Massachusetts
Annual median salary: $37,690
Cost of living: 135
Employment: 5,780
Like California, Massachusetts is popular for having the highest wages and most impressive employment rates. In the same way, both states have the same high cost of living expenses.
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18. Maryland
Annual median salary: $39,170
Cost of living: 125
Employment: 4,710
Maryland is can be an expensive place to live, but if you like soft-shell crab then you might want to consider it anyway.
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17. Idaho
Annual median salary: $33,300
Cost of living: 89.6
Employment: 1,090
This state is America’s sixth most affordable state. That alone is enough to say that Idaho is one of the best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics. They also pay wages higher than the national average.
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16. Washington
Annual median salary: $53,050
Cost of living: 107.1
Employment: 2,880
Come for the apples and stay for the above average EMT wages.
15. Arizona
Annual median salary: $33,460
Cost of living: 98.1
Employment: 3,720
This state’s employment rates look so much better than Washington’s, even when the latter’s wages looked certainly better than this one’s. That just shows how each state has its own edge over the others.
14. Colorado
Annual median salary: $36,300
Cost of living: 102.1
Employment: 4,110
Colorado’s employment rates are so impressive it could send more and more EMTs and paramedics there. Rocky Mountain high, employment rates.
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13. Ohio
Annual median salary: $28,820
Cost of living: 93
Employment: 10,570
This state’s employment rates is the sixth-highest rates in the country, showing how well they need and demand emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
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12. Minnesota
Annual median salary: $35,650
Cost of living: 101.1
Employment: 4,380
With wages that are above the national average and impressive employment rates, any emergency medical technician and paramedic would most likely want to get himself a job in Minnesota.
11. New York
Annual median salary: $37,100
Cost of living: 135.2
Employment: 14,250
Even non-Americans know how expensive it is to live in New York. However, if you have always dreamed of working in the concrete jungle where dreams are made of there’s nothing you can do.
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10. Louisiana
Annual median salary: $36,810
Cost of living: 94.4
Employment: 2,820
Lucky for you, Lousiana offers above average wages with below average cost of living rates. They have a decent employment rate for emergency medical technicians and paramedics as well.
9. Georgia
Annual median salary: $30,610
Cost of living: 91.4
Employment: 9,130
At the 9th place in our list of best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics is Georgia that is a peach when it comes to employment rates!
8. Michigan
Annual median salary: $29,650
Cost of living: 88.2
Employment: 6,500
Living and working in America’s third most affordable state surely has its perks, like actually being able to afford occasional shopping and dining out–or you know whatever floats your EMT boat.
7. Missouri
Annual median salary: $31,860
Cost of living: 90.8
Employment: 6,140
The cost of living rates they have make Missouri deserving in being referred to as one of the best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics. They have quite impressive employment rates for these guys as well.
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6. Illinois
Annual median salary: $32,180
Cost of living: 95.5
Employment: 12,060
Illinois is among the few American states with a great balance between wages and expenses, plus tons of deep dish pizza if you’re into that sort of thing.
5. Mississippi
Annual median salary: $33,850
Cost of living: 86
Employment: 2,120
Mississipi might not have employment rates as high as that of Illinois’, but the former compensates that very well by their very low cost of living rates.
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4. Indiana
Annual median salary: $30,580
Cost of living: 87.9
Employment: 5,220
We are continuing our list of best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics with Indiana that is the second most affordable state in America, which makes it an ideal place for families and even young professionals.
3. North Carolina
Annual median salary: $32,500
Cost of living: 94.2
Employment: 10,180
North Carolina’s demand for emergency medical technicians and paramedics look so evident in their employment rates. Apart from impressive employment rates, they also have the low cost of living expenses and barely any super intolerant laws about using public restrooms.
2. Tennessee
Annual median salary: $31,590
Cost of living: 89.8
Employment: 6,690
With cost of living rates lower than North Carolina’s Tennessee surely is among the best ones for everyone, not just emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
1. Texas
Annual median salary: $33,790
Cost of living: 90.7
Employment: 18,270
Texas holds ’em! That is the record for having the highest employment rates for EMTs and paramedics. It does not have to surprise anyone, as the state has been quite popular lately for having the most number of jobs in various occupations.
Being emergency medical technicians and paramedics does not really pay much, but with high, consistent demands, the fact that it looks like a long-term way of living makes it a rather great occupation to have. If you’re thinking where to practice your profession, make sure you use this as your guide. Take your pick from the best states for emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
