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Best states for an emergency medical technician
Quoted expert
April Heinze
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for emergency medical technicians? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for emergency medical technician jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of emergency medical technicians in America is $59,000.
New Jersey is the best state for jobs for emergency medical technicians, and Oklahoma is the worst. The most common pay in New Jersey is $54,185, while the median pay in Oklahoma is $35,016.We found that New Jersey is the best state for emergency medical technician jobs, whereas Oklahoma is the worst.
10 best states for emergency medical technicians in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 683 Average annual salary: $54,185 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
2. Delaware
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 196 Average annual salary: $50,596 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
3. West Virginia
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 330 Average annual salary: $46,142 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.81
4. District of Columbia
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 197 Average annual salary: $54,920 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
5. New Hampshire
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 166 Average annual salary: $49,758 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
6. Connecticut
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 239 Average annual salary: $53,789 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 0.6
7. New York
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 1,013 Average annual salary: $51,505 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
8. Pennsylvania
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 896 Average annual salary: $48,420 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
9. Illinois
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 2,235 Average annual salary: $44,978 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
10. Vermont
Total emergency medical technician jobs: 49 Average annual salary: $49,871 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 0.53
Emergency medical technician jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an emergency medical technician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an emergency medical technician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $54,185 | $30,000 | 9,005,644 | 683 |
| 2 | Delaware | $50,596 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 196 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $46,142 | $26,000 | 1,815,857 | 330 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $54,920 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 197 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $49,758 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 166 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $53,789 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 239 |
| 7 | New York | $51,505 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,013 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $48,420 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 896 |
| 9 | Illinois | $44,978 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,235 |
| 10 | Vermont | $49,871 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 49 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $46,560 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 382 |
| 12 | Maine | $44,841 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 167 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $51,591 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 524 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $42,208 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,352 |
| 15 | Virginia | $46,539 | $26,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,314 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $49,824 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 40 |
| 17 | Nevada | $40,453 | $28,000 | 2,998,039 | 504 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $41,200 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 357 |
| 19 | Georgia | $42,037 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,168 |
| 20 | Alaska | $43,405 | $36,000 | 739,795 | 114 |
| 21 | Michigan | $44,666 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 519 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $43,578 | $27,000 | 4,684,333 | 241 |
| 23 | Indiana | $42,009 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 644 |
| 24 | California | $41,798 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,817 |
| 25 | Ohio | $43,861 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 645 |
| 26 | Texas | $39,272 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,151 |
| 27 | Oregon | $44,022 | $33,000 | 4,142,776 | 237 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $41,840 | $24,000 | 10,273,419 | 811 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $41,003 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 414 |
| 30 | Maryland | $47,465 | $26,000 | 6,052,177 | 348 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $37,220 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 746 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $40,880 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 119 |
| 33 | Washington | $42,795 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 460 |
| 34 | Iowa | $38,040 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 314 |
| 35 | Idaho | $36,499 | $27,000 | 1,716,943 | 312 |
| 36 | Missouri | $37,521 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,159 |
| 37 | Utah | $39,126 | $29,000 | 3,101,833 | 193 |
| 38 | Alabama | $36,335 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 715 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $35,727 | $24,000 | 2,088,070 | 494 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $36,592 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 91 |
| 41 | Montana | $36,952 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 99 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $35,610 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 493 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $40,018 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 59 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $39,093 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 312 |
| 45 | Florida | $37,724 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,429 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $35,404 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 49 |
| 47 | Kansas | $36,491 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 216 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $36,360 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 62 |
| 49 | Colorado | $36,433 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 427 |
| 50 | Arizona | $35,888 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 430 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $35,016 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 201 |
Highest paying states for emergency medical technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Emergency Medical Technician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $54,185 |
| 2 | Delaware | $50,596 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $46,142 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $54,920 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $49,758 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $53,789 |
| 7 | New York | $51,505 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $48,420 |
| 9 | Illinois | $44,978 |
| 10 | Vermont | $49,871 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $46,560 |
| 12 | Maine | $44,841 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $51,591 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $42,208 |
| 15 | Virginia | $46,539 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $49,824 |
| 17 | Nevada | $40,453 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $41,200 |
| 19 | Georgia | $42,037 |
| 20 | Alaska | $43,405 |
| 21 | Michigan | $44,666 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $43,578 |
| 23 | Indiana | $42,009 |
| 24 | California | $41,798 |
| 25 | Ohio | $43,861 |
| 26 | Texas | $39,272 |
| 27 | Oregon | $44,022 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $41,840 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $41,003 |
| 30 | Maryland | $47,465 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $37,220 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $40,880 |
| 33 | Washington | $42,795 |
| 34 | Iowa | $38,040 |
| 35 | Idaho | $36,499 |
| 36 | Missouri | $37,521 |
| 37 | Utah | $39,126 |
| 38 | Alabama | $36,335 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $35,727 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $36,592 |
| 41 | Montana | $36,952 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $35,610 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $40,018 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $39,093 |
| 45 | Florida | $37,724 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $35,404 |
| 47 | Kansas | $36,491 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $36,360 |
| 49 | Colorado | $36,433 |
| 50 | Arizona | $35,888 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $35,016 |
Expert opinions on the best states for emergency medical technicians
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for emergency medical technicians to find work opportunities?
April Heinze
NENA's 9-1-1 and PSAP Operations Director, NENA
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.
Emergency medical technician best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025