EMT Basic Max Pay in a Private Company

NorCal said:
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.
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There's no way he's making $29 an hour as an ER Tech. He's full of crap. ER Nurses with experience are making that kind of money, but not a Tech.

I have a friend I used to work with who moved to CA and works for AMR in Contra Costa County. He's been a Paramedic for 20+ years. He's making around $55,000-60,000 a year. But he said EMT-Basics are making less than $30,000 a year. It's not impossible for a Basic to make $40,000. But if they are, they have either been with their company for decades, work a ton of OT or are lying through their teeth to impress you.

Bottom line is you are not going to make much money as a EMT Basic in California or anywhere else. There are so many private and public schools pumping them out that the market is saturated. The more schooling you have, the better your chances of employment and higher pay. EMT Intermediates(in states that have them) make more than EMT-Basics and Paramedics make more than EMT-I's. If someone is committed to EMS, go to Paramedic school. You will make 2-3 times more money as a Basic and will always be in demand. With some field experience, you can pretty much go anywhere in the U.S. and find a good paying job.

My final piece of advice. Go work for either a fire department or a 3rd service. You will earn more money, have better benefits, have a better retirement and have nicer equipment. Private ambulance companies are great to get that initial experience, but they will chew you up and spit you out over a career.
 
My paramedic friend works for AMR-Alameda Co and she makes around 80k a year with overtime and everything. But she's been with AMR since she was an EMT, about 4 years now, so she might get paid better than someone starting out with AMR.

If you want real money, an ER tech position is the way to go. They usually start around $25/hour. The only problem is that they are in high demand because they make so much money. So an EMT needs experience with an ambulance company before they are really considered for the position. Also, paramedics like those jobs, too, and they definately have better qualifications than an EMT-B so it is a very hard job to get.
 
LonghornMedic said:
There's no way he's making $29 an hour as an ER Tech. He's full of crap. ER Nurses with experience are making that kind of money, but not a Tech.

I have a friend I used to work with who moved to CA and works for AMR in Contra Costa County. He's been a Paramedic for 20+ years. He's making around $55,000-60,000 a year. But he said EMT-Basics are making less than $30,000 a year. It's not impossible for a Basic to make $40,000. But if they are, they have either been with their company for decades, work a ton of OT or are lying through their teeth to impress you.

My final piece of advice. Go work for either a fire department or a 3rd service. You will earn more money, have better benefits, have a better retirement and have nicer equipment. Private ambulance companies are great to get that initial experience, but they will chew you up and spit you out over a career.
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My cousin is an ER RN in Oakland and is getting paid $65/hour. ER techs make about $25/hour out here in the East Bay, no joke. SF East bay is the place to be for EMS since they make so much money. But Fire is the way to go esp. if you are a medic. If you can get into one of the depts around Northern Cali, do it. SFFD fire/medic makes $100k/year.

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Never do something you don't want to have to explain to the paramedics.
 
If you guys are saying an ER Tech is making that kind of money, then I have no doubt you're telling the truth. I'm surprised they're paying that much for a Basic's skill set. I've heard of Paramedics making that kind of money as Techs. But California is the exception to the rule when it comes to pay scales in hospitals.
 
ER Nurses at my hospital start at $30Hr and go up from there. (Rumor is some are making up to 53-54Hr top out with a BS Degree) so a ER Tech making $29Hr isn't so far fetched. Again, I have no idea if people are feeding me a bill of goods, I'm just telling you what I've heard.
 
Just heard a bunch more incentive to get my RN.
 
Sways said:
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.
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I know this is an old thread but is this salary still applicable? Has it gone up a bit? I would ideally like to work in San Mateo County or Santa Clara County. But I could also work in San Francisco or other Bay Area counties. I am not sure if the pay varies by county.
 
LonghornMedic said:
There's no way he's making $29 an hour as an ER Tech. He's full of crap. ER Nurses with experience are making that kind of money, but not a Tech.

I have a friend I used to work with who moved to CA and works for AMR in Contra Costa County. He's been a Paramedic for 20+ years. He's making around $55,000-60,000 a year. But he said EMT-Basics are making less than $30,000 a year. It's not impossible for a Basic to make $40,000. But if they are, they have either been with their company for decades, work a ton of OT or are lying through their teeth to impress you.

Bottom line is you are not going to make much money as a EMT Basic in California or anywhere else. There are so many private and public schools pumping them out that the market is saturated. The more schooling you have, the better your chances of employment and higher pay. EMT Intermediates(in states that have them) make more than EMT-Basics and Paramedics make more than EMT-I's. If someone is committed to EMS, go to Paramedic school. You will make 2-3 times more money as a Basic and will always be in demand. With some field experience, you can pretty much go anywhere in the U.S. and find a good paying job.

My final piece of advice. Go work for either a fire department or a 3rd service. You will earn more money, have better benefits, have a better retirement and have nicer equipment. Private ambulance companies are great to get that initial experience, but they will chew you up and spit you out over a career.
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Actually that is right on with ER techs I've talked with in the bay area and that is why the jobs are so hard to come by. FYI a NEW grad RN starts at 55hr in the same area and experienced clinical RN II are at about 80/90$ hr depending on specialty and experience . And it goes up MUCH higher then that. It just depends on which facility you work at.

FT medics you don't want to know what they make around the same area. I'll just say AMR San Mateo is the place to be :cool:

EMT are on a separate CBA then medics but do very well
 
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IFT in Los Angeles and I'm making $10/hr w/out any prior experience. Time and a half after 8 hours, double time after 11, though shifts are 10-11 hours normally. My shift is 11 hrs, 3 days one week, 4 days the next (I work 7 out of every 14 days). Doing the math, before taxes and all that I make ~$22,750 a year. Plus it's real easy to pick up extra shifts, we always have something open everyday, can work up to 5 shifts a week no prob, and they regularly authorize 6th and 7th shifts. Oh and the best part? We rarely run dialysis :D (thank goodness for that Kaiser contract!)
 
No, ProTransport-1 has a union now. I think how you're paid is somewhat confusing. New hires were making $11.05/hour I believe. The first two calls they did, they wouldn't get any call bonus. After 2 calls, they'd get $10/call. If it was CCT, they made an addition $5. If it was a night call (unsure of the rule on time), they made an additional $5. I think the distance rule was the same, but I cannot recall, after 50 miles, for every 25 miles you transported with a patient, you made an additional $10 (eg 50 miles = $0 extra, 75 miles = $10 extra, 100 miles = $20 extra). After probation (1040 hours or 1 year), you were bumped up to $12.75/hour I believe.

Unfortunately they have 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 hour shifts. 12 hour shifts seemed to be exclusive in Santa Clara County (Palo Alto) for EMTs working on the NICU/PICU dedicated units for Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (one night and one day crew, two halves of the week, so a total of 8 EMT positions only). 4 hour shifts are very common and people have posted on here before they are unhappy with it. You have to be very aggressive, willing to drive, and have open hours for a lot of shifts and longer shifts.

ProTransport-1 San Francisco has an entirely different union and rules from the rest of the company. I have no insight on them, or if they eventually switched to the same union as the rest of the company.

A lot of people told me not to apply to Westmed or ProTransport-1 because they are awful companies. They joked in school "Don't do XYZ Bad Thing unless you work for Westmed Ambulance", and stuff like that, lol. I didn't apply to ProTransport-1 for the 13 months I tried getting an EMT job, and I was hired 8 days after I turned in an application online) because people told me they were an awful company. I immediately got a pay raise from working hard at Wingstop $8.50/hour to chillax at ProTransport-1 $9.50/hour + $10/call (at the time, it was $9.50/hour + $10/call). I worked there for a year, I actually liked it, and left on good terms with them. I totally recommend the company. I regret not applying sooner. You'll also always find away to B$%^ about the company you work for, but when you evaluate whatchya got, it aint that bad.

It's starting to get more difficult to get an EMT job in the bay area again. Rural/Metro IFT almost hired anybody with a card and pulse a year ago, and now they are looking for only EMTs with >1 year experience. I don't know of any other company that is really actively hiring in the bay area. ProTransport-1 I believe is doing a mass hire in the Sacramento area now.

My recommendation is to apply everywhere you can regardless of if there is rumor of them hiring or not, or how much you've heard about them being an awful company. Some places might not be accepting applications online, but will allow you to turn in a resume or application by walk in.

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Below is a list of ambulance companies in the bay area, I tried to link their career page of their website, and also deployment areas near the bay area. Some companies (eg AMR) obviously have a lot more stations than what I listed.

ProTransport-1 (San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward, Richmond, Palo Alto, Pleasant Hill)
Royal Ambulance (San Leandro, San Jose)
Rural/Metro (San Jose (911), Pacheco (IFT), Hayward (IFT), Milpitas (IFT))
Bayshore Ambulance !!!WARNING!!! Annoying website (Foster City, San Francisco, San Jose)
Silicon Valley Ambulance (San Jose, Morgan Hill)
Westmed Ambulance (San Jose, Hayward/Union City)
Falck Ambulance (San Carlos, Concord, San Mateo)
American Medical Response (AMR) (San Francisco, Concord)
King American Ambulance (San Francisco)
Golden State Ambulance (San Jose)
Norcal Ambulance (Fremont, Oakland)
Paramedics Plus (San Leando, Newark)
California Ambulance (Martinez)

There are ambulance and ER tech jobs in the bay area that pays a ton to EMT and Paramedics, but those jobs are not frequently vacant. :[ In fact, it's hard to get even an EMT, Paramedic, or ER tech job (for significantly lower pay) period.
 
Aprz that was very helpful. Thank you. That list of companies will come in handy. I have not even done an EMT program yet but I will start one this month once I narrow them down. I was thinking about Unitek but it seems they have a bit of a bad reputation.

There are so many companies around here so I have a lot of choices but their 2 week program is the fastest. 14 days straight from 8AM to 8PM.

But I am hoping to get into a 6 week class at San Francisco Paramedics Association (SFPA).

Anyway I am off topic but your post was super helpful. It seems like EMT is the best route to working in medical and finding a job without having experience. My story is complicated. I have been to nursing school but I am having problems passing NCLEX so I want to work in the medical field while I study for the NCLEX-RN.
 
ChanelCinq,

Try looking into the Community Colleges in the Bay Area. I know City College of San Francisco (CCSF) and Skyline College offers EMT classes. I have a few friends who went through the EMT program at CCSF and they didn't have any complaints.

I'm originally from San Francisco (born and raised) and I would have taken it there if I didn't relocate to San Diego for college (still took it at a community college down here).

I think Community Colleges are great, as they offer multiple classes during the semester, which works for the working individual who's not quite ready to drop everything and make the career switch. I was able to dabble in the EMT class at night, while still maintaining my primary education at my University.
 
why the feck can't we get professional salaries? we are professional healthcare providers and our companies make enough to pay us a :censored::censored::censored::censored:ton more.
 
We have a few EMTs that make a couple bucks an hour more than I do. Granted they've been an EMT for nearly as long as I've been alive at e same agency soooooo.......

To add something to compare this statement too, I make about 45k per year as a first year paramedic. Base salary for an EMT-I here is ~32k per year. Only have special event EMT-BS and they make 10 an hour if I'm not mistaken.
 
VA Transport EMT said:
why the feck can't we get professional salaries? we are professional healthcare providers and our companies make enough to pay us a :censored::censored::censored::censored:ton more.
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That's a can of worms that has been opened over and over again here.

We don't get paid like other healthcare professions because job market is over saturated with qualified applicants and we lack the education necessary to demand a salary similar to nurses or another comparable profession. You don't like the wage? Too bad cause there's 100 people behind you that will happily take it, especially at the EMT level.

How can you expect to be paid more than the bare minimum wheel it requires to become "qualified" for this job is a 120-200 hour class that lasts one college semester with, generally, no prerequisites required or degree offered? Especially when nursing requires a BSN in many places to work anywhere other than a SNF or doctor's office. There are a few AAS and BS Paramedicine degrees out there t they aren't the standard. Oregon is moving in the right direction requiring an AAS in EMS or BS in anything else to be certified and to work as a paramedic.

I'm not trying to offend anyone but the only healthcare jobs comparable to an EMT-B I can think of are CNA and Patient Transport Tech in the hospital and both are paid similarly to basics. I guess ER techs as well but they often do more than your standard EMT-B and have more, albeit minimal, training and education.

EMT-Basic is not a career, it's an entry level position.
 
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dC0m said:
ChanelCinq,

Try looking into the Community Colleges in the Bay Area. I know City College of San Francisco (CCSF) and Skyline College offers EMT classes. I have a few friends who went through the EMT program at CCSF and they didn't have any complaints.

I'm originally from San Francisco (born and raised) and I would have taken it there if I didn't relocate to San Diego for college (still took it at a community college down here).

I think Community Colleges are great, as they offer multiple classes during the semester, which works for the working individual who's not quite ready to drop everything and make the career switch. I was able to dabble in the EMT class at night, while still maintaining my primary education at my University.
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Thanks for the advice but I don't have time for a CC. I have a Cosmetology license from College of San Mateo. THen I spent another 8 years or so doing my general ed to transfer to a 4 year University. In the 8 years I traveled a lot so it was not 8 years solid studying. Then I transferred and had a Bachelors in French with a minor in Religious Studies. See where this is going. Lots of very unhelpful degrees,

After my Bachelors I did a post graduate program at my university and received a Teaching English as a Second Language certificate.

During this time I was an account manager for a travel related dot com. I was laid off and traveled a couple years in Africa and Asia. Came back worked a decent job but it wasn't going anywhere, quit smoking, got super healthy, worked out a few hours a day, started pre-reqs for nursing.

Did an accelerated second Bachelors in Nursing and moved out of state for it as I couldn't get in anywhere in CA. I graduated a year ago. I failed NCLEX twice.

I decided that since one of the many reasons I went to nursing school was to work in a medi spa doing Botox and fillers so I would try to use my Cosmetology License and work as an esthetician. Then when I passed NCLEX I could migrate over into the injectables.

Well I have been applying for jobs for 2 months. Dropping my resume and cover letter off in person when at all possible and I have had NO response. Nothing, not a single bite. I thought I could avoid more education for the moment since I have a ton of various degrees and certificates

So now I am back on the other side of the map. I'll do a super quick course for EMT and work as an EMT while I study for NCLEX. Hopefully I'll pass right in time for Obama Care when 30 million more people in CA will have health insurance.

Sorry that could have been way shorter. These days my AD/HD is kind of out of control and I feel a bit lost.

But my point was that I have spent a lot of time in school already and I need to work asap, partially just to feel like a productive member of society and mostly because my savings is almost completely exhausted.

I do really appreciate everyone's help. You guys are all super nice and helpful here. Not all bulletin boards are the same unfortunately.

Aprz you are amazing. Thanks for the private message. I am very helpful on allnurses.com when people have questions about my nursing school. At times I am the only one responding. So I appreciate when people create valuable responses when I ask questions.

Funny how the two helpful forums are medical related. Anyway thanks guys. I appreciate the help I am getting here.
 
ChanelCinq said:
Thanks for the advice but I don't have time for a CC. I have a Cosmetology license from College of San Mateo. THen I spent another 8 years or so doing my general ed to transfer to a 4 year University. In the 8 years I traveled a lot so it was not 8 years solid studying. Then I transferred and had a Bachelors in French with a minor in Religious Studies. See where this is going. Lots of very unhelpful degrees,

After my Bachelors I did a post graduate program at my university and received a Teaching English as a Second Language certificate.

During this time I was an account manager for a travel related dot com. I was laid off and traveled a couple years in Africa and Asia. Came back worked a decent job but it wasn't going anywhere, quit smoking, got super healthy, worked out a few hours a day, started pre-reqs for nursing.

Did an accelerated second Bachelors in Nursing and moved out of state for it as I couldn't get in anywhere in CA. I graduated a year ago. I failed NCLEX twice.

I decided that since one of the many reasons I went to nursing school was to work in a medi spa doing Botox and fillers so I would try to use my Cosmetology License and work as an esthetician. Then when I passed NCLEX I could migrate over into the injectables.

Well I have been applying for jobs for 2 months. Dropping my resume and cover letter off in person when at all possible and I have had NO response. Nothing, not a single bite. I thought I could avoid more education for the moment since I have a ton of various degrees and certificates

So now I am back on the other side of the map. I'll do a super quick course for EMT and work as an EMT while I study for NCLEX. Hopefully I'll pass right in time for Obama Care when 30 million more people in CA will have health insurance.

Sorry that could have been way shorter. These days my AD/HD is kind of out of control and I feel a bit lost.

But my point was that I have spent a lot of time in school already and I need to work asap, partially just to feel like a productive member of society and mostly because my savings is almost completely exhausted.

I do really appreciate everyone's help. You guys are all super nice and helpful here. Not all bulletin boards are the same unfortunately.

Aprz you are amazing. Thanks for the private message. I am very helpful on allnurses.com when people have questions about my nursing school. At times I am the only one responding. So I appreciate when people create valuable responses when I ask questions.

Funny how the two helpful forums are medical related. Anyway thanks guys. I appreciate the help I am getting here.
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Fair warning, your job situation won't change overnight with an EMT cert. it's not uncommon, especially in California, for people to be looking for a job for a year plus after finishing class, obviously there are exceptions to the rule and with your educational background you've definitely got a leg up but I'd hate for you to be mislead into thinking you'll be able to find work right after you finish class.

Honestly, if I'm reading your goals right I don't really see EMT being helpful in completing them but I also didn't read the entire thread, just the second page on tappatalk.
 
LonghornMedic said:
There's no way he's making $29 an hour as an ER Tech. He's full of crap. ER Nurses with experience are making that kind of money, but not a Tech.
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I have a friend making $21 an hour at a small hospital as an ER tech and she does not have EMT but does have Med Assist and Phlebotomy. They accept EMT or MA along with Phlebotomy as a requirement for the job. I volunteer in the dept too and am very familiar with it. It is not very high speed and is only 14 beds. ER techs CAN make money if they are there a while, She is union and has been there about 6 years. I am sure she did not start at the $21 p.h. full time full benefits but eventually she did. They also trained her in telemetry tech as a cross training.
 
private ambulance company's down here start at $9.50/ph(minimum wage is $7.25), and up to $14.50. this is starting pay.

er techs make $8/ph up to $12/ph. starting.

most run 12hr shifts, 3-4 days a week, ot available of course.
 
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