Highest paramedic or EMT starting salaries in California, 2025

What a new paramedic or EMT is paid at each of 50 California public employers: the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's lowest full-time EMT or paramedic title, as reported. The middle employer starts at $50,425.

What is the starting salary for a paramedic or EMT in California?

Lowest starting salary

$35,152

La Verne
City in Los Angeles County

Middle starting salary, California paramedics and EMTs1

$50,425

half of the 50 employers start higher, half lower

Highest starting salary

$106,437

Carmel-By-The-Sea
City in Monterey County

Employers compared
50
with an official range for their paramedic or EMT titles
Starting at $100,000 or more
1
employers
Average total pay
$92,008
what full-year paramedics and EMTs earned, overtime included
Above the start
$55,057
full-year pay above the starting salary, middle employer

Which California employers pay new paramedics and EMTs the most?

The 25 highest starting salaries: the bottom of the official range for each employer's lowest full-time EMT or paramedic title, as reported for 2025.

Highest starting salary

  1. Carmel-By-The-SeaCity in Monterey County
    Paramedic    $106,437
  2. San FranciscoCity government
    Emt Paramedic    $90,220
  3. Kern CountyCounty government
    First Responder Paramedic    $79,922
  4. San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionFire protection district in Contra Costa County
    Single Role Paramedic    $79,905
  5. Santa RosaCity in Sonoma County
    Single Role Paramedic    $76,055
  6. OaklandCity in Alameda County
    Emergency Medical Technician (Macro)    $75,461
  7. BerkeleyCity in Alameda County
    9018 Paramedic    $68,186
  8. South San Joaquin County Fire AuthorityJoint powers authority in San Joaquin County
    Paramedic Full Time    $67,922
  9. La Habra HeightsCity in Los Angeles County
    Paramedic    $67,083
  10. San MarcosCity in San Diego County
    Emergency Medical Technician (Ft)    $66,394
  11. Del Puerto Health Care DistrictHealth care district in Stanislaus County
    EMT    $65,520
  12. Coast Life Support DistrictSpecial district in Mendocino County
    EMT - Full Time    $63,564
  13. Cambria Community Healthcare DistrictHealth care district in San Luis Obispo County
    EMT    $61,871
  14. Moraga/Orinda Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in Contra Costa County
    Single Role EMT    $61,800
  15. UkiahCity in Mendocino County
    4063 Amb Oper/EMT (911 24-Hr)    $61,757
  16. CoalingaCity in Fresno County
    Non-Safety Emt    $58,872
  17. Chula VistaCity in San Diego County
    EMT (Non-Safety) - A    $57,376
  18. EscondidoCity in San Diego County
    Emergency Medical Technician    $56,151
  19. Cloverdale Health Care DistrictHealth care district in Sonoma County
    Emt    $55,000
  20. Lake County Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in Lake County
    EMT    $54,476
  21. El Dorado County Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in El Dorado County
    Paramedic Ambulance Operator    $52,815
  22. Mono CountyCounty government
    Emt    $51,651
  23. Los Angeles CountyCounty government
    Ambulance Driver    $51,003
  24. GlendaleCity in Los Angeles County
    Ambulance Operator    $50,950
  25. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictFire protection district in Sacramento County
    EMT    $50,440

Middle California employer, $50,425

Which California counties pay new paramedics and EMTs the most?

The middle starting salary across each county's employers, where at least 3 report one.

Middle starting salary, paramedics and EMTs, 2025under $41,000$41,000 to $43,000$43,000 to $45,000$45,000 to $46,000$46,000 or moreLeft outNone in the dataEach shade holds about a fifth of the counties. Outlines: US Census Bureau.
  1. Los Angeles County8 employers$45,620
  2. Fresno County3 employers$45,191
  3. San Diego County8 employers$43,280
  4. Orange County4 employers$40,560

Compare paramedic or EMT starting salaries at every California employer

Starting salary, the title it belongs to, and what full-year paramedics and EMTs at the same employer earned. Click a column to sort it.

Showing 1 to 25 of 50 employers, highest starting salary first.

Carmel-By-The-SeaMonterey CountyMonterey$106,437ParamedicFewer than 55
San FranciscoSan Francisco CountySan Francisco$90,220Emt ParamedicFewer than 521
Kern CountyKern CountyKern$79,922First Responder Paramedic$87,78010
San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionContra Costa CountyContra Costa$79,905Single Role ParamedicFewer than 512
Santa RosaSonoma CountySonoma$76,055Single Role ParamedicFewer than 57
OaklandAlameda CountyAlameda$75,461Emergency Medical Technician (Macro)$98,71010
BerkeleyAlameda CountyAlameda$68,1869018 Paramedic$129,02835
South San Joaquin County Fire AuthoritySan Joaquin CountySan Joaquin$67,922Paramedic Full TimeFewer than 511
La Habra HeightsLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$67,083ParamedicFewer than 523
San MarcosSan Diego CountySan Diego$66,394Emergency Medical Technician (Ft)Fewer than 553
Del Puerto Health Care DistrictStanislaus CountyStanislaus$65,520EMTFewer than 534
Coast Life Support DistrictMendocino CountyMendocino$63,564EMT - Full Time$83,21423
Cambria Community Healthcare DistrictSan Luis Obispo CountySan Luis Obispo$61,871EMTFewer than 522
Moraga/Orinda Fire Protection DistrictContra Costa CountyContra Costa$61,800Single Role EMTFewer than 58
UkiahMendocino CountyMendocino$61,7574063 Amb Oper/EMT (911 24-Hr)$86,63138
CoalingaFresno CountyFresno$58,872Non-Safety EmtFewer than 519
Chula VistaSan Diego CountySan Diego$57,376EMT (Non-Safety) - A$119,819138
EscondidoSan Diego CountySan Diego$56,151Emergency Medical Technician$81,06027
Cloverdale Health Care DistrictSonoma CountySonoma$55,000Emt$95,34919
Lake County Fire Protection DistrictLake CountyLake$54,476EMTFewer than 510
El Dorado County Fire Protection DistrictEl Dorado CountyEl Dorado$52,815Paramedic Ambulance Operator$110,49115
Mono CountyMono CountyMono$51,651Emt$109,72626
Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$51,003Ambulance Driver$75,76244
GlendaleLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$50,950Ambulance Operator$87,87152
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictSacramento CountySacramento$50,440EMT$89,77598

Starting salary: the bottom of the official range for the employer's lowest full-time EMT or paramedic title, as reported. "Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 paramedics and EMTs worked the full year, too few for an average.

Questions about paramedic or EMT starting salaries in California

Which California employer has the highest starting salary for paramedics and EMTs?

Carmel-By-The-Sea: $106,437 a year, the bottom of the official range for its Paramedic title in 2025. San Francisco ($90,220) and Kern County ($79,922) follow.

What is the starting salary for a paramedic or EMT in California?

It depends on the employer. Across the 50 California employers that report a range, the middle starting salary is $50,425 a year; the highest is $106,437, the lowest $35,152.

How much more do paramedics and EMTs earn than their starting salary?

At the middle employer, full-year paramedics and EMTs earned $55,057 more on average than the starting salary in 2025. Steps with years of service, promotions within the job and overtime make up the difference.

Which California county pays new paramedics and EMTs the most?

Los Angeles County, where the middle starting salary across 8 employers is $45,620, followed by Fresno County ($45,191) and San Diego County ($43,280).

Sources for the California starting salaries

Starting salaries are the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's lowest full-time EMT or paramedic title, as the employer reported it. Some employers report the range for a title that already needs experience or a certificate; the table names the title so you can check. Average total pay covers only people who worked roughly the full year, and every pay figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: official pay ranges and wages as reported by each employer.

How we read the data