How to become an Emergency Medical Technician
Official title: Emergency Medical Technicians
Also called: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), First Responder
Assess injuries and illnesses and administer basic emergency medical care. May transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.
How to become one
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics typically complete a postsecondary educational program. All states require EMTs and paramedics to be licensed in the state in which they work; requirements vary by state.
Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Emergency Medical Technician.
- Certificate or associate's degree: Postsecondary nondegree award. Programs such as Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)
- Licence: A licence is required in 38 states.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $44,470 a year The middle half earn $37,960 to $50,100.
- About 181,900 people work in this job now, and about 192,500 are projected by 2035. (+5.8%)
- People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Related jobs
- Paramedics
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
- Cytogenetic Technologists
- Cytotechnologists
- Histotechnologists
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians
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Questions people ask
How do I become an Emergency Medical Technician?
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics typically complete a postsecondary educational program. All states require EMTs and paramedics to be licensed in the state in which they work; requirements vary by state.
How much does an Emergency Medical Technician earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $44,470 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $37,960 to $50,100.
Is an Emergency Medical Technician a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 181,900 to about 192,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become an Emergency Medical Technician?
Usually not. Only 23% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Postsecondary nondegree award; Emergency Medical Technician.
Will AI change the work of an Emergency Medical Technician?
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.