Let me get a degree to make $14/hr. Yep, that makes sense.
Paramedics need more education, and more pay. Restructure how they're educated, and then they should get compensated for that.
The problem is, who is going to advocate for this restructuring? It's in the best interests of EMS admin (fire, private, hosp based and muni third service alike) to keep the EMS applicant supply cheap and plentiful. This is evidenced by the fact that most employers don't even ask where you got your P-card, let alone require a degree or even give preference for one at the entry level position. The EMS employers certainly aren't going to buck up and donate funds for lobbying and such, so that leaves the EMS professionals.
Many on this forum do advocate for higher educational standards in EMS, but what percentage of EMS professionals outside of this forum feel the same? I'm betting not many since quite a few come and go from EMS for various reasons, and have no vested interest in advancing the profession for the long term.
Restructuring education alone won't automatically benefit the profession. You need lobbying and organization. You need a workforce that's not transient to accomplish that.