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Ambulance driver: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$35,450median pay per year, or $17.04 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $27,350lowest 10% earn less
  2. $30,75025th percentile
  3. $35,450median
  4. $38,41075th percentile
  5. $45,960top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Ambulance drivers and attendants (except EMTs) earned a median of $35,450 a year in May 2025[1]. A high school diploma and on-the-job training are the typical way in[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-1.3%[5]
Openings per year
1,400[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[2]

How much do ambulance drivers make?

The median pay for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians was $35,450 a year, or $17.04 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $36,210 a year, or $17.41 an hour[7].

The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. So the median for this job sits below the all-occupations figure.

Here is how annual pay spreads out[3]:

Point in the range Annual wage Source
10th percentile[3] $27,350
25th percentile[3] $30,750
Median[1] $35,450
75th percentile[3] $38,410
90th percentile[3] $45,960

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,350, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $45,960[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8]. By the hour, the 10th percentile was $13.15 and the 90th was $22.10[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 11% of workers in this job were self-employed in 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Connecticut had the highest median at $73,730, based on 280 jobs[12]. Oregon came next at $40,900 and Massachusetts third at $39,480[12]. The lowest of the 41 states with published data was Alabama at $24,420[12].

California had the most jobs at 1,420, followed by Pennsylvania at 1,400[13]. South Carolina, Illinois and New York came next[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD had the highest median at $37,900[14]. New York-Newark-Jersey City came second at $37,620[14]. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington had the most jobs of any metro area, at 590, with a median of $35,580[15].

Show median pay in 41 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Connecticut[12]$73,730280
Oregon$40,90040
Massachusetts$39,480n/a
Maryland$38,410300
North Dakota$37,690120
Utah$37,66050
Wisconsin$37,450230
New York$37,230610
Virginia$36,980370
Illinois$36,730610
Nevada$36,44060
New Jersey$36,170170
California$36,1501,420
Iowa$36,090370
Montana$36,050180
Georgia$35,950390
Tennessee$35,740460
New Hampshire$35,73030
Vermont$35,69040
Ohio$35,560410
Florida$35,020210
Nebraska$35,020280
Maine$34,690170
Delaware$34,40050
Indiana$33,280240
Kentucky$32,850130
Pennsylvania$32,7301,400
Arkansas$32,72070
Minnesota$32,670n/a
North Carolina$32,450n/a
Michigan$31,770n/a
Texas$31,010550
Colorado$30,80070
South Carolina$29,300620
South Dakota$29,190160
New Mexico$28,70070
Oklahoma$28,140n/a
Louisiana$27,410120
West Virginia$26,240170
Mississippi$25,170300
Alabama$24,420230

How to become an ambulance driver

BLS lists the typical path like this[2]:

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, where some jobs need little or no experience and others need several months to a year[16]. One of the listed tasks is earning and keeping the right certifications[17]. Our data does not say which ones, so check with local employers.

Workers report titles such as chair car driver, emergency vehicle operator and EMS driver[18]. For comparison, Emergency Medical Technicians typically need a postsecondary nondegree award and had a median of $44,470[19].

What ambulance drivers do

An ambulance driver drives patients who are sick, injured or recovering, or helps the driver do so, and helps lift patients[20]. Tasks listed by O*NET include[17]:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment in this job to decline 1.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 14,300 to 14,100 jobs[5]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[21]. These counts include self-employed workers[5].

Even so, about 1,400 openings are projected each year on average[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations[6]. Each year, 3.9% of workers leave the labor force and 6% move to a different occupation[22].

BLS counted about 12,630 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[23]. That differs from the projection count, which includes self-employed workers[5].

Is it a good fit?

The entry path is short on paper, with a high school diploma, no related experience and on-the-job training[2]. Pay is lower than the all-occupations median of $50,980[1][4]. Employment is projected to dip slightly[5], but turnover still creates about 1,400 openings a year[6]. People weighing a step up in pay could look at Emergency Medical Technicians, who had a median of $44,470 and projected growth of 5.8%[19].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[19].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ambulance driver make an hour?
The median was $17.04 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $17.41[1][7].
What education do you need to be an ambulance driver?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[2].
Is ambulance driving in demand?
Employment is projected to fall 1.3% from 2025 to 2035, but about 1,400 openings a year are expected[5][6].
What is the highest paying state for ambulance drivers?
Connecticut, with a median of $73,730 based on 280 jobs[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians in the US was $35,450 per year and $17.04 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians: 10th percentile $27,350, 25th percentile $30,750, 75th percentile $38,410, 90th percentile $45,960. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians is projected to decline 1.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 14,300 to 14,100 jobs (a change of -200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,400 openings for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians was $36,210 per year and $17.41 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians: 10th percentile $13.15, 25th percentile $14.78, 75th percentile $18.47, 90th percentile $22.10. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 11% of Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians jobs: California 1,420; Pennsylvania 1,400; South Carolina 620; Illinois 610; New York 610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians (areas with at least 100 jobs): Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $37,900; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $37,620; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $37,510; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $37,200; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $36,730; Memphis, TN-MS-AR $36,730; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $35,960; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $35,580. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians jobs: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 590 (median $35,580); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 560 (median $37,510); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 540 (median $37,620); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 520 (median $36,730); San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR 320 (median $23,020); Pittsburgh, PA 230 (median $31,220). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 53-3011.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET task list for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 53-3011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Ambulance Driver, Chair Car Driver, CPR Ambulance Driver (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation Ambulance Driver), Driver, Driver Medic, ECA (Emergency Care Attendant), Emergency Vehicle Operator, EMS Driver (Emergency Medical Services Driver). O*NET OnLine
  19. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET description of Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians: 3.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,630 people were employed as Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.