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Job outlook for emergency responders in the United States
Are emergency responder jobs in demand?
Emergency responder job and salary trends over time
Emergency responder jobs over time
Emergency responder job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 769 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 768 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 777 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 767 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 751 | 0.00% |
Average emergency responder salary over time
Emergency responder salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,251 | $21.76 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $44,021 | $21.16 | --0.7% |
| 2023 | $44,338 | $21.32 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $43,124 | $20.73 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $42,207 | $20.29 | +2.2% |
Emergency responder jobs by state
Most common states for emergency responders
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 139 | 7% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 89 | 7% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 85 | 6% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 39 | 6% |
| 5 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 481 | 5% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 355 | 5% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 151 | 5% |
| 8 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 92 | 5% |
| 9 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 45 | 5% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 36 | 5% |
| 11 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 30 | 5% |
| 12 | Vermont | 623,657 | 29 | 5% |
| 13 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 758 | 4% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 464 | 4% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 351 | 4% |
| 16 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 279 | 4% |
| 17 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 268 | 4% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 218 | 4% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 130 | 4% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 34 | 4% |
Most common cities for emergency responders
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houma | 2 | 6% | $58,567 |
| 2 | Alexandria | 2 | 4% | $56,072 |
| 3 | Livermore | 2 | 2% | $48,107 |
| 4 | Daytona Beach | 1 | 2% | $42,841 |
| 5 | Baton Rouge | 3 | 1% | $57,485 |
| 6 | New Orleans | 2 | 1% | $57,911 |
| 7 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $58,717 |
| 8 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $67,840 |
| 9 | Anaheim | 1 | 0% | $47,436 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs | 1 | 0% | $42,948 |
Emergency Responder job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of emergency responder experts
University of North Texas
Austin Community College
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
NENA
National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting
Shawn Steadman
What will help Emergency Responders increase their earning potential?
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.
What general advice would you give to an Emergency Responder?
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.
What Emergency Responder skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
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.
What will help Emergency Responders increase their earning potential?
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.
What type of skills will young Emergency Responders need?
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.
How do you envision technology impacting Emergency Responders in the next 5 years?
Don Gwynn: EMS is one of the fastest-growing aspects of the medical field, in terms of technology. ER physicians are expecting more each year from EMS, since the prehospital environment is often first-line in medical care, both emergent and nonemergent. This is likely to grow as a consequence of the pandemic. The ambulance is essentially a mobile emergency department.
What type of skills will young Emergency Responders need?
Bill Seifarth: Since most states require National Certification for licensure, the National Registry plays a vital role in the pathway to employment for new EMS professionals. The National Registry's mission is to protect the public by establishing standards and measuring competency throughout an EMS professional's career. Holding a National Registry Certification, whether you are an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), or Paramedic, demonstrates your commitment to the patients you care for and the community you serve.
The global pandemic showed us the urgent need for medical professionals, especially those like EMTs and Paramedics in the prehospital setting. Additionally, the role of EMTs and Paramedics is evolving. Today EMS professionals work in diverse settings beyond a traditional prehospital ambulance service. National Registry certifications are held by EMS professionals working in hospitals and emergency departments, private medical practices, and community paramedicine, just to name a few.
How do you envision technology impacting Emergency Responders in the next 5 years?
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.
What type of skills will young Emergency Responders need?
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
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Emergency Responders to find work opportunities?
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.
How do you envision technology impacting Emergency Responders in the next 5 years?
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.
What Emergency Responder skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ben Price: In both surgical technology and surgical assisting, there's just really no substitute for experience, and there's no way to get that experience outside the operating room.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Emergency Responders in the next 3-5 years?
Ben Price: Surgical technology is an exciting and rapidly growing area, and the operating room is changing fast. In the next five years, we will see the growth of hybrid imaging-operating rooms, increased use of robotic surgery, internet-connected devices, and smart lighting design.