Pay Scale for a Paramedic

Paramedics ensure that a victim's vital signs are stable during their visits.

Paramedics serve an important role in society in attending to injured or wounded victims. They provide emergency response services for traumatized patients before and while they are transported to hospitals. These professionals take vital signs of patients, including blood pressure and heart rate. They take precautions on moving victims on stretchers. Paramedics sometimes obtain their training through colleges and universities. They also learn various life-saving techniques on the job. They typically get paid by the hour.

Average Salary and Benefits

Paramedics earned average hourly wages of $16.01, according to May 2010 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or $33,300 per year in salaries. Their earnings are usually based on the size and budgets of their employers, experience and geographical area. About 27 percent of these workers belong to unions, which help provide them with more comprehensive benefits. Their benefits may include health and life insurance, paid vacations and holidays and retirement savings plans.

Average Salary by Industry

Paramedics earned the highest hourly rates working for state government agencies at $24.02 or $49,960 per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics' data. Those working at colleges, universities and professional schools also earned relatively high average wages at $20.74 per hour or $43,140 annually. These professionals also earned above-average hourly rates working for general medical and surgical hospitals at $16.24 or $33,780 per year. And those in the outpatient care centers earned wages of $14.86 or $30,920 per year.

Average Salary by Metropolitan Area

Paramedics' salaries can vary considerably by metropolitan area. For example, those in the Linn County, Oregon metropolitan area earned the highest hourly rates at $27.28 or $56,740 per year. They also earned relatively high salaries in northwestern Washington at $24.40 per hour or $50,760 annually. These professionals earned wages above the national average in eastern Washington at $21.92 or $45,590 per year. And those in west central Wisconsin earned significantly lower wages at $11.99 per hour or $24,940 annually.

Job Outlook

Jobs for emergency medical technicians and paramedics are expected to increase 9 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to a December 2009 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Much of the job growth will be attributed to an aging population of baby boomers, which comprises 76 million Americans. The reason is that medical emergencies usually increase when large portions of the population age.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition: Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics; December 2009
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages: Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics; May 2010
• Job Descriptions.net: EMT & Paramedic Job Description
• BabyBoomer-Magazine.com: Facts and Statististics About the Baby Boomer Generation; August 2010