How Much Does an EMT Make in Houston, TX in 2026?
Typical pay for EMTs in Houston, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Texas.
BLS OES May 2025 · Houston · Pasadena · The Woodlands metro area
A typical EMT in Houston, Texas earns $18.70 per hour, or $38,890 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,241 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,610, and the top 10% of earners make over $53,690.
That pay is 4% above the Texas figure of $37,260 and 13% below the national figure of $44,470. Houston ranks 4th of 22 metro areas in Texas for EMT pay. About 2,680 EMTs work in the Houston · Pasadena · The Woodlands area. Houston is part of the Houston · Pasadena · The Woodlands metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so The Woodlands and Pasadena share these figures.
EMT pay in Houston at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.70 an hour, or $38,890 a year.
- That is 4% above the Texas figure, ranking 4th of 22 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,610; the top 10% make over $53,690.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an EMT make in Houston?
Pay in Houston runs from entry-level positions at around $15.68 an hour to more than $25.81 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Texas and national figures.
EMT pay by career stage in Houston
| Career stage | Houston | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $32,610$15.68 an hour | $30,320$14.58 an hour | $34,130$16.41 an hour |
| First years | $36,740$17.66 an hour | $35,130$16.89 an hour | $37,960$18.25 an hour |
| Typical EMT | $38,890$18.70 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour | $44,470$21.38 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,260$22.24 an hour | $44,240$21.27 an hour | $50,100$24.09 an hour |
| Top 10% | $53,690$25.81 an hour | $52,160$25.08 an hour | $62,500$30.05 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Houston · Pasadena · The Woodlands area as BLS defines it
EMT pay growth in Houston
Typical (median) annual wage for EMTs in the Houston · Pasadena · The Woodlands area · BLS OES May estimates, 2021 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2021, typical EMT pay in Houston was $36,360 a year. By 2025 it had reached $38,890.
How Houston compares with other Texas cities
Round Rock pays EMTs the most in Texas at $45,740 a year, $6,850 more than Houston. The lowest-paying area in the state is Longview at $32,290.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Houston | EMTs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Round Rock metro incl. San Marcos · Austin | $45,740 | $21.99 | +18% | 880 |
| 2 | Bryan metro incl. College Station | $44,420 | $21.36 | +14% | 50 |
| 3 | Midland | $44,140 | $21.22 | +13% | 50 |
| 4 | Houston metro incl. The Woodlands · Pasadena | $38,890 | $18.70 | this city | 2,680 |
| 5 | Abilene | $38,290 | $18.41 | -2% | 100 |
| 6 | Fort Worth | $37,900 | $18.22 | -3% | 3,000 |
| 7 | Denison metro incl. Sherman | $37,880 | $18.21 | -3% | 90 |
| 8 | Tyler | $37,410 | $17.99 | -4% | 140 |
| 9 | New Braunfels metro incl. San Antonio | $37,160 | $17.86 | -4% | 1,100 |
| 10 | Laredo | $37,040 | $17.81 | -5% | 130 |
| 11 | Wichita Falls | $36,370 | $17.49 | -6% | 60 |
| 12 | Amarillo | $36,300 | $17.45 | -7% | 160 |
| 13 | Corpus Christi | $36,120 | $17.36 | -7% | 280 |
| 14 | Waco | $35,550 | $17.09 | -9% | 90 |
| 15 | Lubbock | $35,130 | $16.89 | -10% | 180 |
| 16 | Beaumont metro incl. Port Arthur | $34,750 | $16.71 | -11% | 230 |
| 17 | Eagle Pass | $33,980 | $16.34 | -13% | 80 |
| 18 | Harlingen metro incl. Brownsville | $33,820 | $16.26 | -13% | 100 |
| 19 | El Paso | $33,820 | $16.26 | -13% | 470 |
| 20 | Victoria | $33,770 | $16.24 | -13% | 60 |
| 21 | Mission | $33,620 | $16.16 | -14% | 590 |
| 22 | Longview | $32,290 | $15.53 | -17% | 160 |
Every metro area in Texas with EMT wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Texas typical pay $37,260
Is Houston a good place to work as an EMT?
EMTs in Houston earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $38,890 a year, 13% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Houston · Pasadena · The Woodlands area, about 0.8 are EMT positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.2. That makes EMTs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an EMT make in Houston, TX?
- A typical EMT in Houston earns $38,890 a year, or $18.70 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $32,610 and the top 10% earn over $53,690.
- How much does an EMT make an hour in Houston?
- Typical hourly pay for EMTs in Houston is $18.70. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.68, and the top 10% earn over $25.81 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an EMT in Houston?
- Entry-level EMT positions in Houston typically offer around $15.68 an hour, or $32,610 a year.
- Is EMT pay in Houston higher than in the rest of Texas?
- Houston pay is 4% above the Texas figure of $37,260 a year, ranking 4th of 22 metro areas in the state. Round Rock pays the most in Texas at $45,740.