How Much Does a Paramedic Make in San Diego, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for Paramedics in San Diego, 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 Paramedic in San Diego, California earns $33.96 per hour, or $70,630 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,886 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $47,300, and the top 10% of earners make over $100,190.
That pay is 5% below the California figure of $74,590 and 17% above the national figure of $60,600. San Diego ranks 13th of 16 metro areas in California for Paramedic pay. About 430 Paramedics work in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area. San Diego is part of the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chula Vista and Carlsbad share these figures.
Paramedic pay in San Diego at a glance
- Typical pay is $33.96 an hour, or $70,630 a year.
- That is 5% below the California figure, ranking 13th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $47,300; the top 10% make over $100,190.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Paramedic make in San Diego?
Pay in San Diego runs from entry-level positions at around $22.74 an hour to more than $48.17 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
Paramedic pay by career stage in San Diego
| Career stage | San Diego | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $47,300$22.74 an hour | $53,370$25.66 an hour | $44,230$21.27 an hour |
| First years | $63,140$30.35 an hour | $63,490$30.52 an hour | $49,660$23.88 an hour |
| Typical Paramedic | $70,630$33.96 an hour | $74,590$35.86 an hour | $60,600$29.13 an hour |
| Experienced | $87,390$42.02 an hour | $90,730$43.62 an hour | $73,470$35.32 an hour |
| Top 10% | $100,190$48.17 an hour | $102,450$49.26 an hour | $84,850$40.80 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area as BLS defines it
Paramedic pay growth in San Diego
Typical (median) annual wage for Paramedics 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 Paramedic pay in San Diego was $48,800 a year. By 2025 it had reached $70,630.
How San Diego compares with other California cities
Redding pays Paramedics the most in California at $88,740 a year, $18,110 more than San Diego. The lowest-paying area in the state is Visalia at $63,840.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs San Diego | Paramedics employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redding | $88,740 | $42.66 | +26% | 40 |
| 2 | Sunnyvale metro incl. Santa Clara · San Jose | $84,480 | $40.61 | +20% | 110 |
| 3 | Fremont metro incl. Oakland · San Francisco | $83,090 | $39.95 | +18% | 780 |
| 4 | Sacramento | $81,430 | $39.15 | +15% | 390 |
| 5 | Salinas | $80,710 | $38.81 | +14% | 50 |
| 6 | Oxnard metro incl. Thousand Oaks · Ventura | $80,590 | $38.74 | +14% | 60 |
| 7 | Long Beach metro incl. Los Angeles · Anaheim | $74,900 | $36.01 | +6% | 1,200 |
| 8 | Petaluma metro incl. Santa Rosa | $74,080 | $35.62 | +5% | 70 |
| 9 | Paso Robles metro incl. San Luis Obispo | $73,930 | $35.54 | +5% | 40 |
| 10 | Riverside metro incl. San Bernardino · Ontario | $72,520 | $34.87 | +3% | 580 |
| 11 | Modesto | $72,170 | $34.70 | +2% | 130 |
| 12 | Santa Cruz metro incl. Watsonville | $71,390 | $34.32 | +1% | 40 |
| 13 | San Diego metro incl. Chula Vista · Carlsbad | $70,630 | $33.96 | this city | 430 |
| 14 | Bakersfield metro incl. Delano | $69,050 | $33.20 | -2% | 120 |
| 15 | Merced | $64,100 | $30.82 | -9% | 30 |
| 16 | Visalia | $63,840 | $30.69 | -10% | 50 |
Every metro area in California with Paramedic wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $74,590
Is San Diego a good place to work as a Paramedic?
Paramedics in San Diego earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $70,630 a year, 17% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area, about 0.3 are Paramedic positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.7. That makes Paramedics 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 a Paramedic make in San Diego, CA?
- A typical Paramedic in San Diego earns $70,630 a year, or $33.96 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $47,300 and the top 10% earn over $100,190.
- How much does a Paramedic make an hour in San Diego?
- Typical hourly pay for Paramedics in San Diego is $33.96. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.74, and the top 10% earn over $48.17 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Paramedic in San Diego?
- Entry-level Paramedic positions in San Diego typically offer around $22.74 an hour, or $47,300 a year.
- Is Paramedic pay in San Diego higher than in the rest of California?
- San Diego pay is 5% below the California figure of $74,590 a year, ranking 13th of 16 metro areas in the state. Redding pays the most in California at $88,740.