How Much Does an EMT Make in Sacramento, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for EMTs in Sacramento, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · Sacramento · Roseville · Folsom metro area
A typical EMT in Sacramento, California earns $23.82 per hour, or $49,550 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,129 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,010, and the top 10% of earners make over $84,430.
That pay is 7% above the California figure of $46,380 and 11% above the national figure of $44,470. Sacramento ranks 5th of 21 metro areas in California for EMT pay. About 1,250 EMTs work in the Sacramento · Roseville · Folsom area. Sacramento is part of the Sacramento · Roseville · Folsom metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Roseville and Folsom share these figures.
EMT pay in Sacramento at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.82 an hour, or $49,550 a year.
- That is 7% above the California figure, ranking 5th of 21 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,010; the top 10% make over $84,430.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an EMT make in Sacramento?
Pay in Sacramento runs from entry-level positions at around $18.75 an hour to more than $40.59 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
EMT pay by career stage in Sacramento
| Career stage | Sacramento | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $39,010$18.75 an hour | $38,740$18.62 an hour | $34,130$16.41 an hour |
| First years | $43,340$20.84 an hour | $42,610$20.49 an hour | $37,960$18.25 an hour |
| Typical EMT | $49,550$23.82 an hour | $46,380$22.30 an hour | $44,470$21.38 an hour |
| Experienced | $78,260$37.62 an hour | $59,180$28.45 an hour | $50,100$24.09 an hour |
| Top 10% | $84,430$40.59 an hour | $78,150$37.57 an hour | $62,500$30.05 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Sacramento · Roseville · Folsom area as BLS defines it
EMT pay growth in Sacramento
Typical (median) annual wage for EMTs in the Sacramento · Roseville · Folsom area · BLS OES May estimates, 2021 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2021, typical EMT pay in Sacramento was $37,740 a year. By 2025 it had reached $49,550.
How Sacramento compares with other California cities
Redding pays EMTs the most in California at $60,120 a year, $10,570 more than Sacramento. The lowest-paying area in the state is Fresno at $38,740.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Sacramento | EMTs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redding | $60,120 | $28.90 | +21% | 80 |
| 2 | San Jose metro incl. Sunnyvale · Santa Clara | $54,650 | $26.27 | +10% | 830 |
| 3 | Watsonville metro incl. Santa Cruz | $51,970 | $24.98 | +5% | 70 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $51,480 | $24.75 | +4% | 3,580 |
| 5 | Sacramento | $49,550 | $23.82 | this city | 1,250 |
| 6 | Napa | $49,340 | $23.72 | 0% | 120 |
| 7 | Delano metro incl. Bakersfield | $47,660 | $22.91 | -4% | 270 |
| 8 | Salinas | $47,370 | $22.77 | -4% | 130 |
| 9 | Modesto | $47,160 | $22.67 | -5% | 440 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa metro incl. Petaluma | $45,750 | $22.00 | -8% | 350 |
| 11 | Ventura metro incl. Oxnard · Thousand Oaks | $45,710 | $21.98 | -8% | 340 |
| 12 | Paso Robles metro incl. San Luis Obispo | $45,190 | $21.73 | -9% | 120 |
| 13 | Long Beach metro incl. Anaheim · Los Angeles | $45,090 | $21.68 | -9% | 6,610 |
| 14 | Carlsbad metro incl. San Diego · Chula Vista | $43,620 | $20.97 | -12% | 1,750 |
| 15 | Riverside metro incl. San Bernardino · Ontario | $43,500 | $20.92 | -12% | 2,340 |
| 16 | Yuba City | $43,470 | $20.90 | -12% | 90 |
| 17 | Stockton metro incl. Lodi | $43,450 | $20.89 | -12% | 390 |
| 18 | El Centro | $39,840 | $19.15 | -20% | 50 |
| 19 | Visalia | $39,530 | $19.01 | -20% | 170 |
| 20 | Santa Barbara metro incl. Santa Maria | $39,310 | $18.90 | -21% | — |
| 21 | Fresno | $38,740 | $18.62 | -22% | 710 |
Every metro area in California with EMT wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $46,380
Is Sacramento a good place to work as an EMT?
EMTs in Sacramento earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $49,550 a year, 11% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Sacramento · Roseville · Folsom area, about 1.2 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 Sacramento, CA?
- A typical EMT in Sacramento earns $49,550 a year, or $23.82 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $39,010 and the top 10% earn over $84,430.
- How much does an EMT make an hour in Sacramento?
- Typical hourly pay for EMTs in Sacramento is $23.82. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.75, and the top 10% earn over $40.59 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an EMT in Sacramento?
- Entry-level EMT positions in Sacramento typically offer around $18.75 an hour, or $39,010 a year.
- Is EMT pay in Sacramento higher than in the rest of California?
- Sacramento pay is 7% above the California figure of $46,380 a year, ranking 5th of 21 metro areas in the state. Redding pays the most in California at $60,120.