Emergency Medical Technicians pay in California
$52,900avg. a year
$25.43 an hour · 21,880 employed
Emergency Medical Technicians in California earn an average of $52,900 a year. That is $6,070 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $46,830. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $72,700.
$46,380Median pay
$25.43Average hourly
+25%Avg. pay since 2021
#6Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for emergency medical technicians by metro area. Swipe to see all 21.
1830 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$72,700
$34.95 an hour
270 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$59,910
$28.80 an hour
33,580 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$59,630
$28.67 an hour
41,250 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$58,190
$27.98 an hour
5350 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$55,510
$26.69 an hour
6130 jobs
Salinas, CA
$54,630
$26.27 an hour
780 jobs
Redding, CA
$54,560
$26.23 an hour
8440 jobs
Modesto, CA
$52,560
$25.27 an hour
9120 jobs
Napa, CA
$52,360
$25.17 an hour
10270 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$50,710
$24.38 an hour
116,610 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$49,750
$23.92 an hour
12340 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$49,660
$23.87 an hour
13710 jobs
Fresno, CA
$47,730
$22.95 an hour
14390 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$47,700
$22.93 an hour
151,750 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$47,620
$22.90 an hour
162,340 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$47,260
$22.72 an hour
1790 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$46,840
$22.52 an hour
18120 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$45,820
$22.03 an hour
1950 jobs
El Centro, CA
$43,770
$21.04 an hour
20
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$43,690
$21.00 an hour
21170 jobs
Visalia, CA
$42,980
$20.66 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Emergency Medical Technicians pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California emergency medical technicians work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $40k$40k–$44k$44k–$50k$50k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $46,830 | $22.52 |
| California | $52,900 | $25.43 |
| Oregon | $50,040 | $24.06 |
| Nevada | $43,050 | $20.70 |
| Arizona | $42,180 | $20.28 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do emergency medical technicians make in California?
The average is $52,900 a year, and the median is $46,380. That is $6,070 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $46,830.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$25.43 an hour on average; the median is $22.30.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($72,700), followed by Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($59,910). The lowest average among 21 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($42,980).
How does California rank?
California ranks #6 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2021–May 2025), occupation code 29-2042. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national emergency medical technicians page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.