Highest paramedic and EMT salaries in California, by employer, 2025
Selma pays California's highest average total pay for paramedics and EMTs among employers with at least 10 full-year paramedics and EMTs: $120,478 for those who worked the full year in 2025, against a state average of $92,008.
Where do paramedics and EMTs earn the most in California?
The 25 public employers with the highest average total pay of full-year paramedics and EMTs, overtime included. Firefighter-paramedics aren't in these figures.
Highest average total pay
- BerkeleyCity in Alameda County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$129,028 - SelmaCity in Fresno County
14 full-year paramedics and EMTs$120,478 - Chula VistaCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$119,819 - San Bernardino CountyCounty government
59 full-year paramedics and EMTs$113,714 - El Dorado County Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in El Dorado County
12 full-year paramedics and EMTs$110,491 - Mono CountyCounty government
13 full-year paramedics and EMTs$109,726 - North County Fire Protection District (San Diego)Fire protection district in San Diego County
8 full-year paramedics and EMTs$106,282 - El Dorado Hills County Water DistrictSpecial district in El Dorado County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$103,004 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$98,710 - TorranceCity in Los Angeles County
16 full-year paramedics and EMTs$98,311 - Cloverdale Health Care DistrictHealth care district in Sonoma County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$95,349 - Oak Valley Hospital DistrictHealth care district in Stanislaus County
17 full-year paramedics and EMTs$91,078 - Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictFire protection district in Sacramento County
54 full-year paramedics and EMTs$89,775 - GlendaleCity in Los Angeles County
8 full-year paramedics and EMTs$87,871 - Kern CountyCounty government
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$87,780 - Last Frontier Health DistrictHealth care district in Modoc County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$87,069 - UkiahCity in Mendocino County
10 full-year paramedics and EMTs$86,631 - DinubaCity in Tulare County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$84,684 - Coast Life Support DistrictSpecial district in Mendocino County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$83,214 - EscondidoCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$81,060 - CarlsbadCity in San Diego County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$80,004 - Los Angeles CountyCounty government
30 full-year paramedics and EMTs$75,762 - Cathedral CityCity in Riverside County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$75,471 - La VerneCity in Los Angeles County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$74,824 - OceansideCity in San Diego County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$73,521
Highest paramedic and EMT base pay in California
Average base pay of full-year paramedics and EMTs, without overtime and other pay: closer to what the job pays for a regular schedule.
Highest average base pay
- Cloverdale Health Care DistrictHealth care district in Sonoma County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$90,084 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$81,682 - BerkeleyCity in Alameda County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$81,281 - Coast Life Support DistrictSpecial district in Mendocino County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$80,349 - Kern CountyCounty government
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$77,469 - Chula VistaCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$70,139 - UkiahCity in Mendocino County
10 full-year paramedics and EMTs$67,018 - El Dorado County Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in El Dorado County
12 full-year paramedics and EMTs$66,098 - Mono CountyCounty government
13 full-year paramedics and EMTs$65,457 - Los Angeles CountyCounty government
30 full-year paramedics and EMTs$60,312 - Last Frontier Health DistrictHealth care district in Modoc County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$58,071 - EscondidoCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$57,147 - El Dorado Hills County Water DistrictSpecial district in El Dorado County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$56,374 - SelmaCity in Fresno County
14 full-year paramedics and EMTs$56,249 - Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictFire protection district in Sacramento County
54 full-year paramedics and EMTs$53,801 - DinubaCity in Tulare County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$51,632 - Oak Valley Hospital DistrictHealth care district in Stanislaus County
17 full-year paramedics and EMTs$48,201 - GlendaleCity in Los Angeles County
8 full-year paramedics and EMTs$47,973 - TorranceCity in Los Angeles County
16 full-year paramedics and EMTs$44,196 - North County Fire Protection District (San Diego)Fire protection district in San Diego County
8 full-year paramedics and EMTs$44,112 - San Bernardino CountyCounty government
59 full-year paramedics and EMTs$42,138 - La VerneCity in Los Angeles County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$41,975 - BreaCity in Orange County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$39,173 - CarlsbadCity in San Diego County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$38,443 - DowneyCity in Los Angeles County
12 full-year paramedics and EMTs$38,305
Which California public employers pay new EMTs and paramedics the most?
The bottom of the official pay range for each employer's lowest full-time EMT or paramedic title, as reported.
Highest starting salary
- Carmel-By-The-SeaCity in Monterey County
4 full-year paramedics and EMTs$106,437 - San FranciscoCity government$90,220
- Kern CountyCounty government
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$79,922 - San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionFire protection district in Contra Costa County$79,905
- Santa RosaCity in Sonoma County
3 full-year paramedics and EMTs$76,055 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$75,461 - BerkeleyCity in Alameda County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$68,186 - South San Joaquin County Fire AuthorityJoint powers authority in San Joaquin County
4 full-year paramedics and EMTs$67,922 - La Habra HeightsCity in Los Angeles County
1 full-year paramedics and EMTs$67,083 - San MarcosCity in San Diego County
2 full-year paramedics and EMTs$66,394 - Del Puerto Health Care DistrictHealth care district in Stanislaus County$65,520
- Coast Life Support DistrictSpecial district in Mendocino County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$63,564 - Cambria Community Healthcare DistrictHealth care district in San Luis Obispo County$61,871
- Moraga/Orinda Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in Contra Costa County
1 full-year paramedics and EMTs$61,800 - UkiahCity in Mendocino County
10 full-year paramedics and EMTs$61,757 - CoalingaCity in Fresno County$58,872
- Chula VistaCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$57,376 - EscondidoCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$56,151 - Cloverdale Health Care DistrictHealth care district in Sonoma County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$55,000 - Lake County Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in Lake County
4 full-year paramedics and EMTs$54,476 - El Dorado County Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in El Dorado County
12 full-year paramedics and EMTs$52,815 - Mono CountyCounty government
13 full-year paramedics and EMTs$51,651 - Los Angeles CountyCounty government
30 full-year paramedics and EMTs$51,003 - GlendaleCity in Los Angeles County
8 full-year paramedics and EMTs$50,950 - Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictFire protection district in Sacramento County
54 full-year paramedics and EMTs$50,440
Where do California paramedics and EMTs earn the most overtime?
Average overtime paid to full-year paramedics and EMTs in 2025. A few people with a lot of overtime can pull an employer's average up.
Highest average overtime
- San Bernardino CountyCounty government
59 full-year paramedics and EMTs$70,007 - North County Fire Protection District (San Diego)Fire protection district in San Diego County
8 full-year paramedics and EMTs$60,871 - TorranceCity in Los Angeles County
16 full-year paramedics and EMTs$52,943 - SelmaCity in Fresno County
14 full-year paramedics and EMTs$49,816 - Chula VistaCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$45,907 - El Dorado Hills County Water DistrictSpecial district in El Dorado County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$42,569 - CarlsbadCity in San Diego County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$41,560 - BerkeleyCity in Alameda County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$40,439 - Oak Valley Hospital DistrictHealth care district in Stanislaus County
17 full-year paramedics and EMTs$40,279 - GlendaleCity in Los Angeles County
8 full-year paramedics and EMTs$39,898 - OceansideCity in San Diego County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$34,965 - DinubaCity in Tulare County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$32,407 - Cathedral CityCity in Riverside County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$31,830 - DowneyCity in Los Angeles County
12 full-year paramedics and EMTs$30,239 - OrangeCity government
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$28,628 - La VerneCity in Los Angeles County
7 full-year paramedics and EMTs$28,576 - El Dorado County Fire Protection DistrictFire protection district in El Dorado County
12 full-year paramedics and EMTs$28,393 - Sacramento Metropolitan Fire DistrictFire protection district in Sacramento County
54 full-year paramedics and EMTs$28,117 - AnaheimCity in Orange County
20 full-year paramedics and EMTs$26,462 - Last Frontier Health DistrictHealth care district in Modoc County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$25,686 - Mono CountyCounty government
13 full-year paramedics and EMTs$25,389 - BreaCity in Orange County
5 full-year paramedics and EMTs$21,881 - Huntington BeachCity in Orange County
22 full-year paramedics and EMTs$20,888 - EscondidoCity in San Diego County
6 full-year paramedics and EMTs$19,933 - UkiahCity in Mendocino County
10 full-year paramedics and EMTs$18,743
Which California counties pay paramedics and EMTs the most?
Average total pay of full-year paramedics and EMTs across every employer in the county, for the 17 counties with at least 5 of them. The dashed line marks the California average of $92,008.
The highest-paying employer for paramedics and EMTs in each California county
By average total pay of full-year paramedics and EMTs, among the county's employers with at least 5 of them.
- Alameda CountyBerkeley$129,028highest of 2
- El Dorado CountyEl Dorado County Fire Protection District$110,491highest of 2
- Fresno CountySelma$120,478only employer with an average
- Kern CountyKern County$87,780only employer with an average
- Los Angeles CountyTorrance$98,311highest of 5
- Mendocino CountyUkiah$86,631highest of 2
- Modoc CountyLast Frontier Health District$87,069only employer with an average
- Mono CountyMono County$109,726only employer with an average
- Orange CountyOrange$67,053highest of 4
- Riverside CountyCathedral City$75,471only employer with an average
- Sacramento CountySacramento Metropolitan Fire District$89,775only employer with an average
- San Bernardino CountySan Bernardino County$113,714only employer with an average
- San Diego CountyChula Vista$119,819highest of 5
- Sonoma CountyCloverdale Health Care District$95,349only employer with an average
- Stanislaus CountyOak Valley Hospital District$91,078only employer with an average
- Tulare CountyDinuba$84,684only employer with an average
Questions about the highest paramedic and EMT salaries in California
Which California public employer pays paramedics and EMTs the most?
Selma, where full-year paramedics and EMTs earned an average of $120,478 in 2025, overtime included. San Bernardino County ($113,714) and El Dorado County Fire Protection District ($110,491) follow.
Where do new EMTs earn the most in California?
The highest starting salary, the bottom of the official range for the lowest full-time EMT or paramedic title, is at Carmel-By-The-Sea: $106,437. San Francisco ($90,220) and Kern County ($79,922) follow.
Where do paramedics and EMTs earn the most overtime in California?
Full-year paramedics and EMTs at San Bernardino County were paid an average of $70,007 in overtime in 2025, the most of any California public employer with at least 5 of them. The California average is $33,901.
Which California county pays paramedics and EMTs the most?
Alameda County, where full-year paramedics and EMTs across its local public employers earned an average of $113,869, followed by Fresno County ($113,196) and San Bernardino County ($112,118).
Sources for the California paramedic and EMT rankings
Pay figures cover people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people. Starting salaries are the bottom of each employer's official range for its entry title, as reported. Rankings and medians are our own arithmetic on these figures.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges and wages as reported by each city, county and special district.