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EMT salary in North Carolina

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$44,250median pay per year in North Carolina, or $21.27 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,190lowest 10% earn less
  2. $38,26025th percentile
  3. $44,250median
  4. $49,31075th percentile
  5. $59,750top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $44,470[3]

The median pay for emt jobs in North Carolina was $44,250 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $220 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in NC
6,680[4]
Rank by median pay
22 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−0.5%[6]

How much do EMTs make in North Carolina?

The median wage for emt workers in North Carolina was $44,250 a year, or $21.27 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a bit higher at $45,790 a year[7].

Across the US, the median was $44,470 a year[3], so North Carolina sat $220 lower[6]. In the state, the median for all jobs was $47,970[8]. The emt median was $3,720 lower than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,190 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $59,750[2]. Among metro areas, Wilmington, NC had the highest median at $53,850[10]. Raleigh-Cary, NC had a median of $49,160[11].

These figures count wage and salary workers only. Self-employed people are left out, and so are bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

North Carolina vs US pay

Pay for EMTs in North Carolina next to the national figures[1][3].

NCUS
Median per year$44,250[1]$44,470[3]
Median per hour$21.27[1]$21.38[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$35,190[2]$34,130[13]
Top 10% earn more than$59,750[2]$62,500[13]
Jobs6,680[4]180,510[3]

Pay by metro area in North Carolina

Metro areas in North Carolina with the most jobs for EMTs, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC[11]$45,5501,210
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$45,900690
Raleigh-Cary, NC$49,160600
Winston-Salem, NC$44,860480
Greensboro-High Point, NC$44,250370
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC$46,020370
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$46,330340
Wilmington, NC$53,850240

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for EMTs in the states that border North Carolina, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$45,5506,260
Virginia$45,4204,490
South Carolina$40,3704,010
Tennessee$40,3303,860

Median pay for EMTs in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for EMTs are projected to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does an EMT make in North Carolina?
The median was $44,250 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $45,790 a year[7].
How much does an EMT make an hour in North Carolina?
The median was $21.27 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $16.92 an hour and the 90th was $28.72[17].
Which city in North Carolina pays EMTs the most?
Wilmington, NC had the highest median among metro areas with a published figure, at $53,850 a year[10].
Is North Carolina a good state for EMTs?
North Carolina had the 22nd highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $220 lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become an EMT in North Carolina?
This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical entry education is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Emergency Medical Technicians in North Carolina was $44,250 per year and $21.27 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Emergency Medical Technicians in North Carolina: 10th percentile $35,190, 25th percentile $38,260, 75th percentile $49,310, 90th percentile $59,750. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Emergency Medical Technicians in the US as a whole was $44,470 per year and $21.38 per hour, with about 180,510 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 6,680 people worked as Emergency Medical Technicians in North Carolina (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: North Carolina had the 22nd highest median annual wage for Emergency Medical Technicians out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Emergency Medical Technicians in North Carolina ($44,250) was $220 (0.5%) lower than the US median ($44,470). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Emergency Medical Technicians in North Carolina was $45,790 per year and $22.01 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in North Carolina was $47,970. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Emergency Medical Technicians in North Carolina was $3,720 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in North Carolina with a published median for Emergency Medical Technicians, Wilmington, NC had the highest median annual wage, $53,850. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Emergency Medical Technicians in the US: 10th percentile $34,130, 25th percentile $37,960, 75th percentile $50,100, 90th percentile $62,500. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Emergency Medical Technicians in states that border North Carolina (highest first): Georgia $45,550; Virginia $45,420; South Carolina $40,370; Tennessee $40,330. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Emergency Medical Technicians is projected to grow 5.8% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 13,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Emergency Medical Technicians: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Emergency Medical Technicians in North Carolina: 10th percentile $16.92, 25th percentile $18.40, 75th percentile $23.71, 90th percentile $28.72. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only North Carolina. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.