# Relocating to TX, Starting wage for medic really 10.31 ?



## caliboosted (Mar 15, 2012)

Just thought I would get some input from everyone, called a company today in East TX and they reported that they start they new medics at 10.31 for a 24. Is this the average going rate for new medics in TX ? Any suggestion on employers that are hiring in TX right now ?


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## caliboosted (Mar 15, 2012)

Sorry forgot to clarify, for private ambulance companies*


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## adamjh3 (Mar 15, 2012)

You have to remember that the cost of living is way lower there. So that wage, while similar to what you'd make here,  would be very livable out there


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## shfd739 (Mar 15, 2012)

Check acadian.com.

Multiple openings in Texas and the pay is much better than that.


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## caliboosted (Mar 15, 2012)

Ive researched the living, average for a 1 bedroom apt seems to be 500-700. Same as redding, CA. Again I don't live in TX though so I can only speak from my meager phone / online research


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## medic417 (Mar 15, 2012)

Depends where in Texas.  Some non fire services pay $20+ an hour.


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## DrankTheKoolaid (Mar 15, 2012)

Lol you from redding?   Im up in Weaverville.  Shoot m@e a PM.  Curious why your leaving Redding


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## bigbaldguy (Mar 15, 2012)

Texas is a big place and while the cost of living is generally lower than Cali that can depend on area. Even saying east Texas doesn't narrow things down much. Remember there's no state income tax which helps but property taxes can be pretty steep in comparison to Cali. In general though Adam is right your money will go a bit further.


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## caliboosted (Mar 15, 2012)

awesome well thanx for the heads up, I didn't know about the income tax and like you guys say TX is so big its hard to say specifically what the hourly wage is throughout. Maybe some people will share what they have over heard or know of in terms of area and hourly wages. I definitely don't expect or want anyone disclosing info they shouldn't or could get them in trouble.


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## Fish (Mar 15, 2012)

Redding is 29% more expensive than the Houston area, housing itself is 73% more in Redding.

http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=50000&city1=54835000&city2=50659920

$10.31 is most certainly on the lower end of pay out here, just like it is in CA. However it does go A LOT farther than it does in CA. Plus, you do not pay income tax and sales tax is cheaper.


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## DesertMedic66 (Mar 15, 2012)

$10.31 for a medic?

That's starting pay for a basic here.


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## caliboosted (Mar 15, 2012)

Thanks fish for the info and that site, I have never seen a site like that.


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## Fish (Mar 15, 2012)

firefite said:


> $10.31 for a medic?
> 
> That's starting pay for a basic here.



That was starting pay for a Medic at AMR San Diego


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## caliboosted (Mar 15, 2012)

In case anyone is wondering Im actually from San Jose, CA. Moved to redding to go to medic school.


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## STXmedic (Mar 16, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> Just thought I would get some input from everyone, called a company today in East TX and they reported that they start they new medics at 10.31 for a 24. Is this the average going rate for new medics in TX ? Any suggestion on employers that are hiring in TX right now ?



South Texas here, most basics start off more than that. I would laugh and walk out if they offered me $10.31. And yes, cost of living is great down here. Especially San Antonio and surrounding cities.


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## caliboosted (Mar 16, 2012)

Awesome thanks for the advice, this company I talked to today made it sound like it was the fairly average rate.


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## Shishkabob (Mar 16, 2012)

$10.31 and East Texas... I bet their colors are maroon and white.  Their $10.31/hr for 24hr shift is equal to their $15/hr for 12hr shifts.  You're looking at about $1,100 take home, after taxes and deductions.  It's the norm for that part of Texas (which is dominated by 2 agencies who pay the same), but not the norm an hour to their west in the DFW metroplex. 


I know there are several members on this forum that have worked for both those agencies...



Worked.  Key word.


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## caliboosted (Mar 16, 2012)

hey Linuss I sent you PM last night did you ever get a chance to read it ?


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## Shishkabob (Mar 16, 2012)

Yeah and I replied, just got back from a 16hr day


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## Fish (Mar 16, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> hey Linuss I sent you PM last night did you ever get a chance to read it ?



I only told you bout Central Texas

DFW area you got Medstar and AMR Arlington, also Careflite.

South you got Acadian(911) and uhhhhhhhhh, I don't know of many more privates down south that I would feel comfortable referring you to.

East? Well, there are over 300 in Houston alone. Cypress creek is a good one.

West? Well, there are better people to ask on here than me like Rocketmedic

North? AMR Amirillo, Lubbock EMS, AMR Whichita Falls

This is just a list of the privates like you had asked.


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## Shishkabob (Mar 16, 2012)

Except MedStar isn't a private 

And CareFlite technically is a co-op between a bunch of the areas big hospitals.


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## caliboosted (Mar 16, 2012)

Awesome, thanks everyone for your help. I really appreciate it


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## Fish (Mar 16, 2012)

Linuss said:


> Except MedStar isn't a private
> 
> And CareFlite technically is a co-op between a bunch of the areas big hospitals.



I thought Medstar was a 501c non-profit? Isn't that private?

For the sake of what he was asking I just did two categories, public and private. I didnt break it down into hosp. Based, co-ops, non profit vs for profit


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## Shishkabob (Mar 16, 2012)

MedStar is in all technicality a government entity just like police and fire departments.   Purely non-profit billing, every penny in goes right back in to the employees and system for things such as new gear, units, etc.


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## 46Young (Mar 16, 2012)

When you're quoted an hourly wage, you have to know your schedule. For example, @ 40 hrs/wk your yearly income is $21,444.80. @ 48 hours, it's 28,021.76. @56, it's $34,453.12. 

If you're fire based FLSA, you're paid OT on every hour past 212 (in a 28 day pay cycle) as 1.5X, which averages out to 53 hours/wk straight time, and 3 hours/wk 1.5X. If this is the case, you're making $29,217.76.

Hope this helps.


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## caliboosted (Mar 16, 2012)

It definitely helps, thank you . I was searching and happened to find a PDF with every ambulance service in Texas on it, 54 pages long ! geez and I though California had a lot. If anyone is interested in it I can email it to you, or if its ok I came post it somewhere. Just thought I would mention it for anyone looking into Texas ambulance companies.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 16, 2012)

Fish said:


> I only told you bout Central Texas
> 
> DFW area you got Medstar and AMR Arlington, also Careflite.
> 
> ...



Lubbock EMS has some good opportunities, as does Pecos's Statair and a few county services like Fort Stockton. There's almost nothing between Pecos and El Paso that's even paid, and I wouldn't recommend that place. El Paso is all fire, with the privates paying poorly. AMR is close by too.


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## Fish (Mar 17, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> It definitely helps, thank you . I was searching and happened to find a PDF with every ambulance service in Texas on it, 54 pages long ! geez and I though California had a lot. If anyone is interested in it I can email it to you, or if its ok I came post it somewhere. Just thought I would mention it for anyone looking into Texas ambulance companies.



PM me the link?


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## mycrofft (Mar 17, 2012)

http://emtlife.com/showthread.php?p=384381#post384381

This poll says you need too make $15.88 to afford a two bedroom apt. in Tx, but like they say, where you live specifically makes a difference.


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## caliboosted (Mar 19, 2012)

*List of Texas ambulance companies Im aware of so far*

* mark the private ones that I was told pay the best. Would Anyone like to add any Im unaware of that might be a good idea to look into ? Do I have them in the correct approx region ? I am mapping these out so I have an idea where they are all in proximity to each other, then going to apply to all that are accepting and then of course wait on pins and needles like everyone else has done  

North Texas

	AMR- (911) Amarillo, TX
	AMR- (911) Wichita falls, TX 
	Lubbock EMS (911) Lubbock, TX


Dallas, Fort Worth

	MedStar (911 in Ft Worth area)
	AMR- Arlington, TX
	AMR- Collin county 
	AMR- IFT only in Dallas
	Care flight- (HEMS, 911 in Johnson County, IFT rest DFW)
	Wise County (911)
	Rockwall County (911)
	Hood County (911)

East Texas
	*ETMC (911) based in Tyler, TX
	Champion EMS (911) based in Longview, TX 
	Cypress Creek EMS (911) Spring, TX		



Southern Texas 

	Montgomery County (911) (look into) 
	Williamson County (911)
	Austin/Travis County (911) 
	*Acadian (911) 
	*Capital EMS (911 ?) Lampasas, TX
	Fayette County EMS (911) La Grange, TX 
	Marble Falls EMS (911) Marble Falls, TX
	San Marcos/Hays County EMS (911) San Marcos, TX
	Llano County (911) Llano, TX  run by Scott & White Health


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## Fish (Mar 20, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> * mark the private ones that I was told pay the best. Would Anyone like to add any Im unaware of that might be a good idea to look into ? Do I have them in the correct approx region ? I am mapping these out so I have an idea where they are all in proximity to each other, then going to apply to all that are accepting and then of course wait on pins and needles like everyone else has done
> 
> North Texas
> 
> ...



Looks good, but those ounes you have listed for the south are actually central texas. Except for San Antonio


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## Squad51 (Mar 20, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> * mark the private ones that I was told pay the best. Would Anyone like to add any Im unaware of that might be a good idea to look into ? Do I have them in the correct approx region ? I am mapping these out so I have an idea where they are all in proximity to each other, then going to apply to all that are accepting and then of course wait on pins and needles like everyone else has done
> 
> North Texas
> 
> ...



You need to put a * next to Montgomery County and Austin Travis County.  Both pay very well.  Marble Falls is tough to get on with.  Smaller service and very clickish from what I'm told.  Also, ETMC and Champion pay within 5 cents an hour of each other.  They might as well be equal.  

And as far as that hourly rate, you're probably in the ballpark for the East Texas area.  You have to remember though that you'll be making more annually though with the built in overtime on the 24hr shift.  If you work a 9, 10, or 12 hour truck it's a higher hourly rate.  I know it's confusing but it's so that everyone makes the same starting out annually.  Basically a 24hr medic works more hours in the year, but makes the same as a 9hr medic annually.  Strange.  I've always said the 24's get screwed.  But you only work 10 days a month, so it's a trade off I guess.  

There's a formula for figuring out how much you'll make annually on the 24 hour shift that takes into account the built in overtime.  It's something like you take your hourly rate and multiply it by 3,150?  Something like that.  So if it's a $10.31/hr rate it would come out to be $32,476.50.  And cost of living is cheaper than in California.  Gas prices are $3.54/gallon right now.  A 3 bedroom, 2 bath brick home with a 2 car garage goes for $900/month.


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## caliboosted (Mar 20, 2012)

Wow thats incredible thanks for the info. I've got my flight booked for April 16 to head out to Texas and do some interviews. Hopefully someone pick me up


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## Fish (Mar 20, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> Wow thats incredible thanks for the info. I've got my flight booked for April 16 to head out to Texas and do some interviews. Hopefully someone pick me up



I would be shocked if you interviewed with multiple private services and didn't get picked up by one of them


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## caliboosted (Mar 20, 2012)

Well I sure hope so  Any suggestions on when I should apply ? Seeing that I can only afford a ticket 4 weeks out, I've heard it might be detrimental to apply now because supposedly employers/ hiring managers get back to most people applying to private companies within 3-5 days in TX. Someone mentioned I might want to wait till around April 1st to start submitting applications with my trip planned for April 16-19. Any words of wisdom from the thread on this ?


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## bigbaldguy (Mar 20, 2012)

I notice that there's a lot of talk about hourly pay but remember that "compensation" includes things like insurance, vacation , sick time, 401k/pension Ect. I know some of these things might seem unimportant when you're young and starting out but when you're looking at offers try and remember to look at the whole package and not just the number that's going to be on your paycheck twice a month.


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## caliboosted (Mar 20, 2012)

Very true, good point.

Side note, what is everyones opinion on San Antonio ? Im looking at it as a big population, possibly great for lots of diverse calls, lots of experience etc. Ive heard horror stories though for people that don't speak spanish down there. I definitely want to learn, Ive heard submersion in the language is the best way to learn.


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## Squad51 (Mar 20, 2012)

No, apply now. You aren't going to hurt your chances. They'll understand that you're an out of state applicant. Be sure to send a resume with a cover letter. What you don't want to happen is to apply right before you get here and then the app hasn't made it to the right person in HR yet.


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## bigbaldguy (Mar 20, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> Very true, good point.
> 
> Side note, what is everyones opinion on San Antonio ? Im looking at it as a big population, possibly great for lots of diverse calls, lots of experience etc. Ive heard horror stories though for people that don't speak spanish down there. I definitely want to learn, Ive heard submersion in the language is the best way to learn.



Speaking Spanish would be a leg up for you definitely. You don't necessarily need to be fluent but it helps. Look into a Spanish for health care providers class.


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## Squad51 (Mar 20, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> Speaking Spanish would be a leg up for you definitely. You don't necessarily need to be fluent but it helps. Look into a Spanish for health care providers class.



There's an app for that! Lol Seriously though, there really is.  Medical Spanish app and it's probably the best 99 cents I've ever spent.


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## STXmedic (Mar 20, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> Very true, good point.
> 
> Side note, what is everyones opinion on San Antonio ? Im looking at it as a big population, possibly great for lots of diverse calls, lots of experience etc. Ive heard horror stories though for people that don't speak spanish down there. I definitely want to learn, Ive heard submersion in the language is the best way to learn.



You won't get better pay and benefits anywhere. Our EMS is making tremendous leaps and bounds. GREAT job security (We've added positions where many other major departments are having to make cuts). And you definitely DO NOT need to know Spanish! Yo soy gringo  Besides, odds are someone on your crew speaks Spanish anyway.


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## Fish (Mar 21, 2012)

San Antone is busy

It is not Mexico, most people speak spanish.

I would apply maybe 2weeks prior to coming out?


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## shfd739 (Mar 21, 2012)

What they said. Don't worry about the language barrier. In 2.5 years I've had maybe 10 people I really couldn't talk to. There is always someone to translate. Most of the ones that act like they are Spanish only are half decent with English but refuse to use it unless forced.


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## caliboosted (Mar 21, 2012)

Awesome sounds great, is Acadian pretty much the main ambulance down there ? I've been told of one other but that about all I know in that region.


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## STXmedic (Mar 21, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> Awesome sounds great, is Acadian pretty much the main ambulance down there ? I've been told of one other but that about all I know in that region.



Acadian and Metro are the two big privates in San Antonio. Pay is fairly similar. Acadian does IFT and county 911, while Metro does only IFT.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 22, 2012)

Well, I'm apparently getting RIFed because I turned down retention- ETS is November 2012 now. There really isn't much out here in Far West Texas or southern New Mexico for EMS. El Paso Fire or bust. Money out here is poor- my part time job makes $12 an hour on a 24/36 schedule for full time, for less than $25k a year. Not good LOL.

Hows Acadian pay yearly?


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## caliboosted (Mar 22, 2012)

Personally not sure but people on here seem to talk pretty highly about there pay.


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## Fish (Mar 22, 2012)

caliboosted said:


> Personally not sure but people on here seem to talk pretty highly about there pay.



There pay is good, you will here mixed reactions about the Comapny itself. Some say very professional some disagree.

While I know there pay is good, I have no idea about the other benefits maybe shfd can tell us about Medical, Dental, retirement, uniforms, such and such.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 22, 2012)

After the Army, I can handle a few flaws. As long as pay is reasonable I'm in.


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## shfd739 (Mar 22, 2012)

Rocketmedic40 said:


> Well, I'm apparently getting RIFed because I turned down retention- ETS is November 2012 now. There really isn't much out here in Far West Texas or southern New Mexico for EMS. El Paso Fire or bust. Money out here is poor- my part time job makes $12 an hour on a 24/36 schedule for full time, for less than $25k a year. Not good LOL.
> 
> Hows Acadian pay yearly?



I'll send you a PM. 

Pay is competitive and you can count on yearly raises. Benefits are decent and get better as you put in time.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 24, 2012)

shfd739 said:


> I'll send you a PM.
> 
> Pay is competitive and you can count on yearly raises. Benefits are decent and get better as you put in time.



PM sent, and your company's uniforms seem...familiar, somehow. I like them.


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## STXmedic (Mar 24, 2012)

Rocketmedic40 said:


> PM sent, and your company's uniforms seem...familiar, somehow. I like them.



If you like looking like a tree


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## shfd739 (Mar 24, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> If you like looking like a tree



Nah. We're border patrol lol


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## STXmedic (Mar 24, 2012)

shfd739 said:


> Nah. We're border patrol lol



Down here, people would probably buy that!

I'm gonna do that next time y'all show up on scene! "Run! LA MIGRA!!"

:rofl:


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## shfd739 (Mar 24, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> Down here, people would probably buy that!
> 
> I'm gonna do that next time y'all show up on scene! "Run! LA MIGRA!!"
> 
> :rofl:



Dude the Mexicans have been doing this for 2 years now lol. :rofl:

Seen it first hand.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 25, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> If you like looking like a tree



I prefer bushes. More believable than trees, and easier to move.


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## STXmedic (Mar 25, 2012)

Rocketmedic40 said:


> I prefer bushes. More believable than trees, and easier to move.



You better start putting on some weight, then


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