Big Bucks for Basics

[CBEMT]

$12-13/hour for Basics in my area of the Northeast for all schedules and shifts in non-911 transport companies (nursing homes do call for emergencies though- I had some real doozies), with benefits and PTO. The one I used to work for even has a 401k but not many take advantage of it, because most people aren't there more than a couple of years before even going to another company, leaving the field, or getting on a fire department or other municipal service.

Raises depend what company you work for. Some have regular raises every 6 months or a year, other don't give raises for long periods of time and then suddenly give an across-the-board raise of up to $1- generally more as a recruiting tool ("Oh crap, we're not getting any new hires because the other guys are paying more") than a retention issue.

I've even seen part-time employees paid less per hour than full-time.

[claren]

Working off the truck in Austin, TX as an ED technician (with my EMT-, I draw a base pay of $10.25.

I work 15:00 to 03:00 am. With differentials it goes up to $11.20 @ 17:00, and to $ 11.55 @ 01:00.

On top of that, I also make another $ 0.85 an hour, when I'm working (every other) weekend. I also get benefits and PTO; working off the truck has it's advantages.

Still, this is all in Austin, where the starting pay for A/TCEMS medics is over $ 43,000. Cost of living is high here, but I think Houston is worse?

[subliminal]

To put it in perspective the local taco bell here now starts people off at $9.00 an hour........

[AnthonyM83]

$8/hr on 12 hour shifts.

$10/hr on 24s.

To put THAT into perspective, minimum wage is $8/hr.

[joesph]

It should be 10-12 to start for basics, 14-16 for I's and 20-22 for medics plus benefits. You can push a wheel barrow for 10 on most constuction sites and bend nails for 15. At the wages there paying EMS folks it is hard to motivate anyone to get into this profession. Maybe if everyone volunteered then they wouldn't feel so bad about there pay?

[under-dreaming]

Who is the highest paid EMT-B here?

Hourly?

Monthly?

Annually?

[ablackwell]

Wow! I make 10.73/hr without any kind of certification, and the only training i have really is i went to vo-tech for phlebotomy and EMT-b.

[fireflymedic]

Top pay on the truck - $11.75 as a basic after 2 years and in medic class (this area tends to pay crap so that's good general starting pay at that time was between 6.50 and 7.00 - it hasn't progressed much past that except to federal minimum wage 'cause cost of living is so cheap. As a medic, one can do quite well if they have some time.

In industrial running a clinic as a basic - $14.00 an hour and I did actually little more than put ice on sprains and wrap wrists. It was a cushy job and prolly would have kept it except company lost the contract and new company brought in all their own people. Medics could make a killing, almost $20 an hour plus overtime was always available.

In hospital as ER tech - $16.00 an hour with shift and weekend differential. Yeah, the ER pays WELL here (if and BIG if you can manage to get past all the dang nursing students and actually get on).

Now I make a nice living comparable to most nurses in a hospital in the area, so I don't complain. I didn't get in this to get rich, but I make a decent living and I like what I do.

Decent paying jobs for basics are out there, you just have to look for them. Have a few friends that worked as techs for a cardiology office through paramedic school and they did quite well for themselves as well. But bottom line you want to make any money and have more options available to you, get your medic. Otherwise you probably can't afford to support yourself without working multiple jobs.

[medic82942003]

here in Michigan that is good pay for basics, Detroit EMS pays 12.00 a hour, but if you go

to Flint MI, thay only pay their medics 9.50 a hour.

Be safe.

[WolfmanHarris]

Here in Ontario it varies between $26 - $38/hr. I haven't been able to reliably compare cost of living between the US and Canada so the best I can offer is that this pay places medics on par with a large percentage of Hospital RN's as well as front line PD and FD. A Primary Care Paramedic (BLS) makes an average of $70k/yr to start before OT based on about 14-16 12hr shifts/month.

With OT a great number of Paramedics have ended up on the "Sunshine List" over the last few years. This is the list governments are required to publish online, on paper and to the news outlets of all employees making over 100k/yr. A great many more are making that much but aren't on the list as they collect from two employers.