How Much Does an EMT Make in San Francisco, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for EMTs in San Francisco, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · San Francisco · Oakland · Fremont metro area
A typical EMT in San Francisco, California earns $24.75 per hour, or $51,480 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,290 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,120, and the top 10% of earners make over $87,690.
That pay is 11% above the California figure of $46,380 and 16% above the national figure of $44,470. San Francisco ranks 4th of 21 metro areas in California for EMT pay. About 3,580 EMTs work in the San Francisco · Oakland · Fremont area. San Francisco is part of the San Francisco · Oakland · Fremont metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Fremont and Oakland share these figures.
EMT pay in San Francisco at a glance
- Typical pay is $24.75 an hour, or $51,480 a year.
- That is 11% above the California figure, ranking 4th of 21 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $46,120; the top 10% make over $87,690.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an EMT make in San Francisco?
Pay in San Francisco runs from entry-level positions at around $22.17 an hour to more than $42.16 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
EMT pay by career stage in San Francisco
| Career stage | San Francisco | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $46,120$22.17 an hour | $38,740$18.62 an hour | $34,130$16.41 an hour |
| First years | $46,380$22.30 an hour | $42,610$20.49 an hour | $37,960$18.25 an hour |
| Typical EMT | $51,480$24.75 an hour | $46,380$22.30 an hour | $44,470$21.38 an hour |
| Experienced | $71,810$34.53 an hour | $59,180$28.45 an hour | $50,100$24.09 an hour |
| Top 10% | $87,690$42.16 an hour | $78,150$37.57 an hour | $62,500$30.05 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the San Francisco · Oakland · Fremont area as BLS defines it
EMT pay growth in San Francisco
Typical (median) annual wage for EMTs in the San Francisco · Oakland · Fremont area · BLS OES May estimates, 2021 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2021, typical EMT pay in San Francisco was $42,840 a year. By 2025 it had reached $51,480.
How San Francisco compares with other California cities
Redding pays EMTs the most in California at $60,120 a year, $8,640 more than San Francisco. The lowest-paying area in the state is Fresno at $38,740.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs San Francisco | EMTs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redding | $60,120 | $28.90 | +17% | 80 |
| 2 | San Jose metro incl. Sunnyvale · Santa Clara | $54,650 | $26.27 | +6% | 830 |
| 3 | Watsonville metro incl. Santa Cruz | $51,970 | $24.98 | +1% | 70 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $51,480 | $24.75 | this city | 3,580 |
| 5 | Roseville metro incl. Sacramento · Folsom | $49,550 | $23.82 | -4% | 1,250 |
| 6 | Napa | $49,340 | $23.72 | -4% | 120 |
| 7 | Delano metro incl. Bakersfield | $47,660 | $22.91 | -7% | 270 |
| 8 | Salinas | $47,370 | $22.77 | -8% | 130 |
| 9 | Modesto | $47,160 | $22.67 | -8% | 440 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa metro incl. Petaluma | $45,750 | $22.00 | -11% | 350 |
| 11 | Ventura metro incl. Oxnard · Thousand Oaks | $45,710 | $21.98 | -11% | 340 |
| 12 | Paso Robles metro incl. San Luis Obispo | $45,190 | $21.73 | -12% | 120 |
| 13 | Long Beach metro incl. Anaheim · Los Angeles | $45,090 | $21.68 | -12% | 6,610 |
| 14 | Carlsbad metro incl. San Diego · Chula Vista | $43,620 | $20.97 | -15% | 1,750 |
| 15 | Riverside metro incl. San Bernardino · Ontario | $43,500 | $20.92 | -16% | 2,340 |
| 16 | Yuba City | $43,470 | $20.90 | -16% | 90 |
| 17 | Stockton metro incl. Lodi | $43,450 | $20.89 | -16% | 390 |
| 18 | El Centro | $39,840 | $19.15 | -23% | 50 |
| 19 | Visalia | $39,530 | $19.01 | -23% | 170 |
| 20 | Santa Barbara metro incl. Santa Maria | $39,310 | $18.90 | -24% | — |
| 21 | Fresno | $38,740 | $18.62 | -25% | 710 |
Every metro area in California with EMT wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $46,380
Is San Francisco a good place to work as an EMT?
EMTs in San Francisco earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $51,480 a year, 16% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the San Francisco · Oakland · Fremont area, about 1.5 are EMT positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.2. That makes the local economy more reliant on EMTs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an EMT make in San Francisco, CA?
- A typical EMT in San Francisco earns $51,480 a year, or $24.75 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $46,120 and the top 10% earn over $87,690.
- How much does an EMT make an hour in San Francisco?
- Typical hourly pay for EMTs in San Francisco is $24.75. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.17, and the top 10% earn over $42.16 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an EMT in San Francisco?
- Entry-level EMT positions in San Francisco typically offer around $22.17 an hour, or $46,120 a year.
- Is EMT pay in San Francisco higher than in the rest of California?
- San Francisco pay is 11% above the California figure of $46,380 a year, ranking 4th of 21 metro areas in the state. Redding pays the most in California at $60,120.