How Much Does an EMT Make in Carlsbad, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for EMTs in Carlsbad, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area
A typical EMT in Carlsbad, California earns $20.97 per hour, or $43,620 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,635 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,460, and the top 10% of earners make over $63,910.
That pay is 6% below the California figure of $46,380 and 2% below the national figure of $44,470. Carlsbad ranks 14th of 21 metro areas in California for EMT pay. About 1,750 EMTs work in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area. Carlsbad is part of the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so San Diego and Chula Vista share these figures.
EMT pay in Carlsbad at a glance
- Typical pay is $20.97 an hour, or $43,620 a year.
- That is 6% below the California figure, ranking 14th of 21 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,460; the top 10% make over $63,910.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an EMT make in Carlsbad?
Pay in Carlsbad runs from entry-level positions at around $18.01 an hour to more than $30.73 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
EMT pay by career stage in Carlsbad
| Career stage | Carlsbad | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,460$18.01 an hour | $38,740$18.62 an hour | $34,130$16.41 an hour |
| First years | $39,830$19.15 an hour | $42,610$20.49 an hour | $37,960$18.25 an hour |
| Typical EMT | $43,620$20.97 an hour | $46,380$22.30 an hour | $44,470$21.38 an hour |
| Experienced | $50,280$24.17 an hour | $59,180$28.45 an hour | $50,100$24.09 an hour |
| Top 10% | $63,910$30.73 an hour | $78,150$37.57 an hour | $62,500$30.05 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area as BLS defines it
EMT pay growth in Carlsbad
Typical (median) annual wage for EMTs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area · BLS OES May estimates, 2021 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2021, typical EMT pay in Carlsbad was $30,350 a year. By 2025 it had reached $43,620.
How Carlsbad compares with other California cities
Redding pays EMTs the most in California at $60,120 a year, $16,500 more than Carlsbad. The lowest-paying area in the state is Fresno at $38,740.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Carlsbad | EMTs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redding | $60,120 | $28.90 | +38% | 80 |
| 2 | San Jose metro incl. Sunnyvale · Santa Clara | $54,650 | $26.27 | +25% | 830 |
| 3 | Watsonville metro incl. Santa Cruz | $51,970 | $24.98 | +19% | 70 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $51,480 | $24.75 | +18% | 3,580 |
| 5 | Roseville metro incl. Sacramento · Folsom | $49,550 | $23.82 | +14% | 1,250 |
| 6 | Napa | $49,340 | $23.72 | +13% | 120 |
| 7 | Delano metro incl. Bakersfield | $47,660 | $22.91 | +9% | 270 |
| 8 | Salinas | $47,370 | $22.77 | +9% | 130 |
| 9 | Modesto | $47,160 | $22.67 | +8% | 440 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa metro incl. Petaluma | $45,750 | $22.00 | +5% | 350 |
| 11 | Ventura metro incl. Oxnard · Thousand Oaks | $45,710 | $21.98 | +5% | 340 |
| 12 | Paso Robles metro incl. San Luis Obispo | $45,190 | $21.73 | +4% | 120 |
| 13 | Long Beach metro incl. Anaheim · Los Angeles | $45,090 | $21.68 | +3% | 6,610 |
| 14 | Carlsbad metro incl. San Diego · Chula Vista | $43,620 | $20.97 | this city | 1,750 |
| 15 | Riverside metro incl. San Bernardino · Ontario | $43,500 | $20.92 | 0% | 2,340 |
| 16 | Yuba City | $43,470 | $20.90 | 0% | 90 |
| 17 | Stockton metro incl. Lodi | $43,450 | $20.89 | 0% | 390 |
| 18 | El Centro | $39,840 | $19.15 | -9% | 50 |
| 19 | Visalia | $39,530 | $19.01 | -9% | 170 |
| 20 | Santa Barbara metro incl. Santa Maria | $39,310 | $18.90 | -10% | — |
| 21 | Fresno | $38,740 | $18.62 | -11% | 710 |
Every metro area in California with EMT wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $46,380
Is Carlsbad a good place to work as an EMT?
EMT pay in Carlsbad sits close to the national figure: $43,620 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area, about 1.1 are EMT positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.2. EMT jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an EMT make in Carlsbad, CA?
- A typical EMT in Carlsbad earns $43,620 a year, or $20.97 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,460 and the top 10% earn over $63,910.
- How much does an EMT make an hour in Carlsbad?
- Typical hourly pay for EMTs in Carlsbad is $20.97. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.01, and the top 10% earn over $30.73 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an EMT in Carlsbad?
- Entry-level EMT positions in Carlsbad typically offer around $18.01 an hour, or $37,460 a year.
- Is EMT pay in Carlsbad higher than in the rest of California?
- Carlsbad pay is 6% below the California figure of $46,380 a year, ranking 14th of 21 metro areas in the state. Redding pays the most in California at $60,120.