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| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 307 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 282 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 277 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 261 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 243 | 0.00% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $55,602 | $26.73 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $53,843 | $25.89 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | $53,176 | $25.57 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $52,440 | $25.21 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $51,475 | $24.75 | +2.2% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 292 | 47% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 211 | 36% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 335 | 35% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 205 | 30% |
| 5 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 461 | 25% |
| 6 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 405 | 24% |
| 7 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,071 | 22% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 363 | 19% |
| 9 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 255 | 19% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 140 | 19% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 194 | 18% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,035 | 17% |
| 13 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 240 | 17% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,046 | 16% |
| 15 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,064 | 16% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 865 | 16% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 510 | 16% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 341 | 16% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 135 | 16% |
| 20 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 887 | 15% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $70,396 |
| 2 | Tallahassee | 1 | 1% | $51,050 |
University of North Texas
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Heidelberg University

Wichita State University
Austin Community College

National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

NENA
Shawn Steadman: Having a degree is now becoming a preliminary requirement in the industry. However, the expectation that is becoming more prevalent is a combination of degree and experience. Experience can be gained by volunteering with agencies and organizations during the degree seeking years. This will provide the graduate with an advantage when looking for a position after graduation. In addition, don’t forget the openings in the private sector, not just the public sector. Many organizations perform the same functions as traditional public emergency managers but refer to it as risk management and business continuity. It is no surprise that private sector entities can offer more attractive salaries. There are direct correlations to the financial impact of disasters on their specific organization.
Shawn Steadman: The industry or field is growing exponentially. More and more organizations are realizing the value of emergency management and homeland security professionals in aiding their planning and operations. An area experiencing extreme growth is situational awareness and, more specifically, GIS and AI in assisting Command in managing disasters. This influx of technology includes the use of small, uncrewed aviation systems (sUAS) or drones and cyber security. There should be a balance between management skills and technological skills for individuals in the field. This rapid growth and technological advancement present exciting opportunities for learning and career development.
Shawn Steadman: The career path chosen is limited only by a graduate’s interest. If you can imagine an entire community affected by an incident, the amount of coordination and collaboration to mitigate, prepare, respond, and recover between all facets of a community is sometimes mind-boggling. Instead of protecting and saving a single or small group of individuals, the field is responsible for saving extremely large amounts of the population. Life safety is the primary objective, and the public expects this from the field. However, the public also expects members of the field to protect and respond to infrastructure and physical assets, including those assets that may have disastrous effects on the economy.
Elyse Zavar PhD: Prior to entering the field, gaining hands-on experience through internships and volunteer opportunities can help new professionals not only stand out in the job market, but many employers will recognize and count these as years of experience thus increasing salaries. When offered a position, research comparable salaries and do not be afraid to negotiate salary, among other benefits, when discussing a job offer.
Elyse Zavar PhD: Skills working with people will always be critical for professionals in homeland security. Along with that, the ability to learn and adapt are vital in a dynamic field with evolving technology, emergent hazards, and changing policies. In the next 3-5 years, we will only see increased demand for these skills, especially as climate change continues to alter hazards and risks.
Elyse Zavar PhD: At the core of the field of Emergency Management, and more broadly Homeland Security, is the goal to keep people and communities safe. To do this well, we have to know our communities which requires meeting stakeholders, asking questions, and listening to their experiences. I encourage all new professionals to build a professional network of individuals with diverse experiences who can serve as mentors and resources as you progress throughout your career. And then, as you do advance, reach back out to early career professionals to assist them with their professional development.
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fire Protection
Forrest Kuiper: Enter your emergency services career with a degree and experience. A two- year associate will help you get hired, and 4-year bachelor's degree will get you a promotion to a company or chief officer rank.
Forrest Kuiper: Enter your emergency services career with a degree and experience. A two- year associate will help you get hired, and 4-year bachelor's degree will get you a promotion to a company or chief officer rank.
Forrest Kuiper: Work hard and listen to those already in the field. This is an incredible profession, take care of your mind and body and it will be a long and successful career.
Heidelberg University
Paige Atterholt: I think now, being in year 2 of the pandemic, I think if anything there will be more jobs for graduates. Just looking through the jobs online, there are many opportunities for graduates to get a job. I think the older community retired when things got bad, which opened the door for the younger generation.

Wichita State University
Department of Public Health Sciences
Sonja Armbruster: The pandemic has re-defined what it even means to have a "day at work". I'm writing this response from my home office. Work in public health jobs can involve so many kinds of roles and responsibilities. The only thing I can guarantee is that the successful person seeking a career in public will be constantly curious and constantly learning. There are many public health jobs that are clearly defined with a set of protocols and software and office time that is scripted. Many more public health jobs require learning something new about community members, community partners, the system (including the department/organization one works for), the latest science and political realities that enable and constrain public health work. A day at work will involve continuously learning and seeking to understand new connections.
Don Gwynn: In addition to the necessary skills (vascular access, airway management, medication administration, cardiovascular skills, assessment, to name a few), our students graduate with the essential prehospital scene leadership skills and the ability to run medical calls effectively. This requires effective communication, social interaction, and teamwork skills.

Bill Seifarth: For those working in a state that participates in the EMS Compact, the Compact EMS practitioners flexibility and protection to practice across state lines, especially in times of natural disaster relief, like tornadoes and wildfires, but also for large-scale planned events such as concerts and sporting events.
Bill Seifarth: The National Registry envisions technology impacting the field of EMS in many ways over the next several years. In fact, over the next five years, the National Registry will continue to explore the path of Technology Enhanced Items (TEIs) and other technology to enhance the authenticity of our examinations and to make them even more like situations practitioners will encounter in the field.
Additionally, the National Registry is examining different technologies to better develop and enhance the concept of continued competency throughout a practitioner's career. Some of those include virtual and augmented reality and enhanced apps to tailor the recertification process to each practitioner. The advancement of technology is exciting, and the National Registry will continue to explore ways to take advantage of it to better the EMRs, EMTs, Advanced EMTs, and Paramedics that protect the public.

April Heinze: If graduates are looking for a position within public safety communications, some skills and abilities they would need include, but are not limited to, the following:
Skills:
-Keyboarding/Typing
-Multitasking
-Decision-making
-Critical thinking
-Verbal and written communication skills
-Ability to work as a team
-Active listening/hearing
-Customer service
-Call control
-Conflict resolution
-Problem-solving
-Analytical
-Troubleshooting
Abilities:
-Quick decision-making
-Empathy
-Respect
-Patience
-Even-temper
-Integrity
-Lifelong learner
-Dependable
-Flexible
-Efficient
-Detail-oriented
April Heinze: There are job opportunities within the public safety communications field all across the United States. Prospective candidates simply need to go to the local, county, and/or state municipality websites and search for job vacancies.
April Heinze: There will be many advances in technology within 9-1-1 over the next five years. As communications devices advance, so must the ability to receive emergency communications from those devices. Throughout the United States, 9-1-1 is in the process of migrating from the legacy copper wire telephony systems, used today in most 9-1-1 centers, to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1), which is an IP based technology that will allow for pictures, video, and data-rich communications to be delivered to public safety communications professionals.