How Much Does an EMT Make in Kentucky in 2026?

A typical EMT in Kentucky earns about $17.69 per hour ($36,800 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, monthly pay comes to roughly $3,067. On a weekly basis, again calculated from the annual figure, it works out to about $708. These numbers describe pay in the middle of the range.

That sits 17% below the national typical pay for EMTs, which stands at $44,470 a year, or $21.38 per hour. Kentucky ranks 43rd among the 51 ranked states on EMT pay. About 2,770 EMTs work across the state. Nationwide the workforce comes to 180,510.

Entry-level positions in Kentucky typically offer around $14.33 per hour, or about $29,800 a year. A quarter of the state's EMTs earn $15.00 an hour or less, which comes to roughly $31,200 annually. Pay tends to move toward the typical $17.69 an hour within a few years on the job.

Experienced EMTs often earn upwards of $21.34 an hour, or about $44,380 a year. The top 10% of earners make over $24.01 an hour ($49,950 a year). The gap between entry-level and top pay comes to $20,150 a year. Employer setting, years on the job, and the city where someone works account for most of that difference.

Kentucky EMT pay stood at $28,830 a year in 2021, the first year on record. By 2025 the typical figure had reached $36,800. That is a gain of $7,970. The largest single step came between 2022 and 2023, when the figure moved from $29,480 to $35,670.

Pay nationwide rose 25% over the past decade, so the Kentucky increase has moved in the same direction. For someone starting now, the record shows that typical pay in the state has gone up in every year since 2021. Those gains describe what already happened and do not set what comes next.

Pay runs highest in Louisville, where EMTs typically earn $45,210 a year, or $21.74 per hour. That sits about 23% above the statewide figure. Lexington follows at $43,660 a year, or $20.99 per hour. Bowling Green comes next at $37,600. These city figures cover each city's full metro area.

Ashland reports the lowest city figure at $35,630 a year, or $17.13 per hour. The spread between the highest and lowest paying cities comes to $9,580 a year. Louisville also holds the largest EMT workforce in the state, with about 800 people in the role. Higher city pay often tracks higher local living costs.

Virginia pays EMTs the most among Kentucky's neighbors, at $45,420 a year, about 23% above the Kentucky figure. Indiana at $42,740, Illinois at $42,260, and Missouri at $42,160 each run 15% or 16% higher. Tennessee and Ohio sit closer, at $40,330 and $40,220. West Virginia is the one neighbor below Kentucky, at $34,360 a year. Licensure earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a nearby one.

Kentucky EMTs typically earn $36,800 a year, or $17.69 per hour, with pay up $7,970 since 2021. Louisville and Lexington pay the most, and Ashland the least. For certification and renewal requirements, check the state licensing or registry page. For pay where you plan to work, the city pages carry figures for each Kentucky metro area.