EMT Basic Max Pay in a Private Company

[Rafter]

I bet all you forum regulars have probably seen this kind of thread often and hate it. I apologize.
I really am confused about how much I can make as an EMT-B in CA. I understand that it normally starts out as Min wage and that is fine but no one has been able to tell me what it can go up to. I understand also that many people leave after a year or so. In taking into account overtime and other factors what would an average yearly pay of an average EMT come to? My long term goal is nursing and I hope to continue school while holding down some kind of medical job as I continue school.
Thanks in advance for your patience.

 

[emtstudent04]

It's different from company to company. So i would advise you to call some companies that you plan on applying to and ask them don't give them your name though when you do it.

 

[firecoins]

it won't be much. You can easily be replaced by another EMT making the minimum.

 

[Rafter]

Min Wage

So in all my checking around I find that it's always basically Min Wage.
I know that EMT-B is not a highly trained position but for some reason I expected the pay to be better than working fast food. I guess the respect you get for saving a life every now and then may be better than slangin fries.
I think I'll just volunteer at the free clinic for a while and see how it goes. If I like working with sick people I'll look for a job.

 

[Sassafras]

It's about 2.50 more than minimum wage around here with private, a little more if you get into a 911 response with the city (but employment tax is higher there too).

 

[Sways]

I've been with Pro Transport-1 for a few months, and while the pay is hardly out of this world, it's better then a lot of other local EMS companies. They start you off at $9.50 an hour, with a $10 bonus for every call you run, $20 per call after the 5th of the day. Average number of calls ran per day is around 4-6. Breaking it down, this is what I typically get in 1 day, pre tax.

Typical 8 hour day:

8 hours @ 9.50/hr: $76
1 hour OT @ 14.25/hr: $14.25
5 calls ran that day: $50

Total for the day: $140.25
Hourly wage after OT and call bonuses: $15.58/hr.

The company just won a new contract in Sacramento, and is looking to expand, I would encourage you to apply.

 

[Akulahawk]

The example given about Pro Transport 1 is a prime example of how things can be different. Your base pay is determined by the company. When I started, Minimum wage was still $6.85. I was paid $7.50/hr. The local hamburger restaurant employees were started at $9/hr. My take-home pay was usually much greater than theirs simply because OT at my company was very easy to be had.

Working conditions can also vary by company. Some will pay less, but treat you very well. Some pay well, but treat you like garbage. Some will pay well, and treat you well. Keep your eyes very wide open... The places that treat you OK, may very well have internal political issues that conspire against anyone "new" there, that are tolerated by the company. Find a place that feels right to you, and stays like that while you're there.

 

[somePerson]

I made over 40k, my first year when I got my emt job at a 911 company, making almost minimum wage. 3 24's (72 hours a week) is lot of ot. Sure the guy at mcdonalds might make more an hour, but you have almost twice as many hours earning your money while chilling at a station and watching TV, and still have 4 full days off.

Btw, 3 24's was the norm for full time, and of course, plenty of OT was to be had, I could of worked 7 24's a week if I wanted to.

 

[46Young]

I've been with Pro Transport-1 for a few months, and while the pay is hardly out of this world, it's better then a lot of other local EMS companies. They start you off at $9.50 an hour, with a $10 bonus for every call you run, $20 per call after the 5th of the day. Average number of calls ran per day is around 4-6. Breaking it down, this is what I typically get in 1 day, pre tax.

Typical 8 hour day:

8 hours @ 9.50/hr: $76
1 hour OT @ 14.25/hr: $14.25
5 calls ran that day: $50

Total for the day: $140.25
Hourly wage after OT and call bonuses: $15.58/hr.

The company just won a new contract in Sacramento, and is looking to expand, I would encourage you to apply.

That sounds like a sound business practice. If you create incentive to run more calls, then the crews will turn over pts quickly, and not drag their feet at the pickup and drop off. The company can run more calls with less crews, and the crews see the benefit for their hustle on payday. Everyone wins.

 

[dafargo]

I bet all you forum regulars have probably seen this kind of thread often and hate it. I apologize.
I really am confused about how much I can make as an EMT-B in CA. I understand that it normally starts out as Min wage and that is fine but no one has been able to tell me what it can go up to. I understand also that many people leave after a year or so. In taking into account overtime and other factors what would an average yearly pay of an average EMT come to? My long term goal is nursing and I hope to continue school while holding down some kind of medical job as I continue school.
Thanks in advance for your patience.

I emailed AMR Sacramento this morning actually because I had the same question and got an email back that said currently a new EMT is getting about $45k a year.

 

[hagemc]

I emailed AMR Sacramento this morning actually because I had the same question and got an email back that said currently a new EMT is getting about $45k a year.

Yeah...if you can get a job at AMR anywhere in Northern California...

-----------

Never do something that you don't want to explain to the paramedics.

 

[LonghornMedic]

EMT Basics are a dime a dozen. Your best bet is to continue on with your training and obtain your Paramedic certification.

 

[NorCal]

I emailed AMR Sacramento this morning actually because I had the same question and got an email back that said currently a new EMT is getting about $45k a year.

I just spoke to a friend of mine who's been with AMR in Sonoma County for about 2 years, working on a 24 hr rig, and she said she is making about 40K as an EMT-B.

 

[sirkhctiw]

40k doesn't sound bad for a basic. If you can get a job at all that is. I just went for my second interview for an ER Tech position, while I'm in medic school. So that's another option if your having trouble finding a job.

 

[looker]

As you already discovered base pay is basically around minimum wage. As other have mentioned there is very big oversupply of EMT's and replacing anyone is as fast as phone call. If you want to make better money you will need to get in to medic school. No real way around that if you want to work on ambulance.

Some company calculate overtime base on 8 hours a day, however legally they can do it base on 40 hours a week. The significant of that is if you're only schedule say for 2 days a week or something. Instead of making overtime for those days that you work over 8 hours, you will get paid regular wage and being you never over your 40 hours a week you get no real pay benefit for working overtime.

 

[emt seeking first job]

That sounds like a sound business practice. If you create incentive to run more calls, then the crews will turn over pts quickly, and not drag their feet at the pickup and drop off. The company can run more calls with less crews, and the crews see the benefit for their hustle on payday. Everyone wins.

IMHO, any public safety employee should be paid for by the hour on duty only.

There would be a financial incentive to rush treatment, driving, and interaction with the dispatcher as to who gets what call.

I realize most people would do the right thing most of the time.

I am just to much of a realist.

You could eliminate feet dragging, etc, through monitoring and supervision.

I will invoke the cliche I dislike myself: ' would you want your family member to be treated by an EMT who had a $ incentive to hurry to the next run?'

 

[citizensoldierny]

Sort of sad to see that EMT's in California are making less then the $10 and change I made as an EMT-B while working for AMR Massachusetts in the early to mid 1990's. I couldn't afford to live off it then, today would be a nightmare.:sad:

 

[looker]

Sort of sad to see that EMT's in California are making less then the $10 and change I made as an EMT-B while working for AMR Massachusetts in the early to mid 1990's. I couldn't afford to live off it then, today would be a nightmare.:sad:

As EMT in California, what skills do you bring to the table? How easily are you replaceable? Those two reason are why emt's do not get paid much.

 

[CAOX3]

So if an EMT is making min wage in California what does a non fire department medic make?

 

[NorCal]

So if an EMT is making min wage in California what does a non fire department medic make?

According to the ER Tech I spoke to yesterday, ARM in Sonoma County is starting Paramedics out at around $18hr. Which is around 32K a year. Which doesn't make since because I heard EMT-B is making about 40K year. So I don't know what to believe.

He also said he only has his EMT-B and as an ER Tech he makes $29hr.