Here’s How Much First Responders Make in Every State

The police cars, fire trucks and ambulances with the flashing lights mean one thing: somewhere, someone is in trouble. And the first responders who arrive at scenes of accidents, crimes, fire and such, put their lives on the line every day to help people and property in peril. But just how much do emergency medical technicians, paramedics, police officers and firefighters earn? As with most jobs, it depends on the state where they work.

GOBankingRates looked at the salaries of emergency personnel in every state using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and their average salaries range widely across the country. For instance, firefighters in Mississippi  make just $32,870 — $22,420 below the average U.S. salary for the profession. In California, on the other hand, firefighters are paid $84,930 but must contend with a higher cost of living.

So, are firefighters, police officers, EMTs and paramedics really making enough money to put their lives on the line every day? That’s a matter of opinion. To help you decide, GOBankingRates ranked and ordered the states from worst to best for emergency personnel. Find out whether or not these workers are making bank in your state.

• EMT annual wage: $29,350
• Paramedic annual wage: $41,780
• Police annual wage: $38,940
• Firefighter annual wage: $32,870

• EMT annual wage: $30,580
• Paramedic annual wage: $38,620
• Police annual wage: $42,430
• Firefighter annual wage: $36,950

• EMT annual wage: $29,250
• Paramedic annual wage: $41,110
• Police annual wage: $46,910
• Firefighter annual wage: $34,060

• EMT annual wage: $28,530
• Paramedic annual wage: $39,550
• Police annual wage: $47,160
• Firefighter annual wage: $36,850

• EMT annual wage: $28,030
• Paramedic annual wage: $35,460
• Police annual wage: $49,540
• Firefighter annual wage: $44,920

• EMT annual wage: $26,190
• Paramedic annual wage: $43,160
• Police annual wage: $52,010
• Firefighter annual wage: $40,370

• EMT annual wage: $35,020
• Paramedic annual wage: $44,740
• Police annual wage: $44,790
• Firefighter annual wage: $33,400

• EMT annual wage: $32,470
• Paramedic annual wage: $43,350
• Police annual wage: $50,710
• Firefighter annual wage: $40,530

• EMT annual wage: $36,090
• Paramedic annual wage: $42,610
• Police annual wage: $51,860
• Firefighter annual wage: $36,950

• EMT annual wage: $35,140
• Paramedic annual wage: $44,220
• Police annual wage: $49,140
• Firefighter annual wage: $39,750

• EMT annual wage: $27,980
• Paramedic annual wage: $41,750
• Police annual wage: $55,740
• Firefighter annual wage: $51,810

• EMT annual wage: $35,400
• Paramedic annual wage: $46,170
• Police annual wage: $48,530
• Firefighter annual wage: $42,310

• EMT annual wage: $32,570
• Paramedic annual wage: $41,890
• Police annual wage: $52,580
• Firefighter annual wage: $49,090

• EMT annual wage: $32,710
• Paramedic annual wage: $45,590
• Police annual wage: $56,930
• Firefighter annual wage: $44,920

• EMT annual wage: $34,620
• Paramedic annual wage: $48,410
• Police annual wage: $55,420
• Firefighter annual wage: $39,940

• EMT annual wage: $33,560
• Paramedic annual wage: $43,510
• Police annual wage: $56,610
• Firefighter annual wage: $46,540

• EMT annual wage: $32,410
• Paramedic annual wage: $47,100
• Police annual wage: $58,380
• Firefighter annual wage: $44,420

• EMT annual wage: $33,080
• Paramedic annual wage: $47,630
• Police annual wage: $59,340
• Firefighter annual wage: $42,130

• EMT annual wage: $31,650
• Paramedic annual wage: $43,780
• Police annual wage: $64,380
• Firefighter annual wage: $48,890

• EMT annual wage: $32,570
• Paramedic annual wage: $44,650
• Police annual wage: $65,310
• Firefighter annual wage: $47,460

• EMT annual wage: $32,350
• Paramedic annual wage: $53,600
• Police annual wage: $60,730
• Firefighter annual wage: $42,020

• EMT annual wage: $36,070
• Paramedic annual wage: $47,260
• Police annual wage: $57,780
• Firefighter annual wage: $45,140

• EMT annual wage: $31,940
• Paramedic annual wage: $45,180
• Police annual wage: $60,640
• Firefighter annual wage: $52,990

• EMT annual wage: $32,470
• Paramedic annual wage: $44,570
• Police annual wage: $61,850
• Firefighter annual wage: $53,490

• EMT annual wage: $32,760
• Paramedic annual wage: $41,830
• Police annual wage: $67,110
• Firefighter annual wage: $52,530

• EMT annual wage: $33,840
• Paramedic annual wage: $45,240
• Police annual wage: $68,060
• Firefighter annual wage: $48,750

• EMT annual wage: $32,440
• Paramedic annual wage: $47,670
• Police annual wage: $71,230
• Firefighter annual wage: $46,140

• EMT annual wage: $34,150
• Paramedic annual wage: $47,010
• Police annual wage: $64,470
• Firefighter annual wage: $52,010

• EMT annual wage: $33,090
• Paramedic annual wage: $46,710
• Police annual wage: $66,320
• Firefighter annual wage: $53,480

• EMT annual wage: $34,070
• Paramedic annual wage: $45,730
• Police annual wage: $66,890
• Firefighter annual wage: $53,310

• EMT annual wage: $36,770
• Paramedic annual wage: $48,800
• Police annual wage: $59,720
• Firefighter annual wage: $51,940

• EMT annual wage: $33,970
• Paramedic annual wage: $46,890
• Police annual wage: $62,530
• Firefighter annual wage: $60,590

• EMT annual wage: $35,670
• Paramedic annual wage: $52,640
• Police annual wage: $63,670
• Firefighter annual wage: $52,260

• EMT annual wage: $33,450
• Paramedic annual wage: $49,870
• Police annual wage: $74,270
• Firefighter annual wage: $58,400

• EMT annual wage: $38,200
• Paramedic annual wage: $59,180
• Police annual wage: $76,960
• Firefighter annual wage: $39,750

• EMT annual wage: $33,490
• Paramedic annual wage: $53,410
• Police annual wage: $74,940
• Firefighter annual wage: $58,370

• EMT annual wage: $42,460
• Paramedic annual wage: $46,490
• Police annual wage: $68,580
• Firefighter annual wage: $62,860

• EMT annual wage: $39,090
• Paramedic annual wage: $57,280
• Police annual wage: $80,620
• Firefighter annual wage: $49,520

• EMT annual wage: $35,590
• Paramedic annual wage: $53,140
• Police annual wage: $80,620
• Firefighter annual wage: $68,300

• EMT annual wage: $37,040
• Paramedic annual wage: $55,990
• Police annual wage: $78,000
• Firefighter annual wage: $65,590

• EMT annual wage: $43,160
• Paramedic annual wage: $59,260
• Police annual wage: $73,560
• Firefighter annual wage: $65,650

• EMT annual wage: $44,460
• Paramedic annual wage: $58,240
• Police annual wage: $82,800
• Firefighter annual wage: $61,310

• EMT annual wage: $41,120
• Paramedic annual wage: $62,210
• Police annual wage: $76,360
• Firefighter annual wage: $68,140

• EMT annual wage: $41,120
• Paramedic annual wage: $57,320
• Police annual wage: $80,590
• Firefighter annual wage: $72,670

• EMT annual wage: $51,330
• Paramedic annual wage: $51,480
• Police annual wage: $87,510
• Firefighter annual wage: $57,320

• EMT annual wage: $50,770
• Paramedic annual wage: $59,520
• Police annual wage: $77,890
• Firefighter annual wage: $61,340

• EMT annual wage: $55,600
• Paramedic annual wage: $49,138
• Police annual wage: $80,050
• Firefighter annual wage: $67,540

• EMT annual wage: $42,420
• Paramedic annual wage: $58,190
• Police annual wage: $102,920
• Firefighter annual wage: $80,990

• EMT annual wage: $37,500
• Paramedic annual wage: $82,810
• Police annual wage: $92,390
• Firefighter annual wage: $76,280

• EMT annual wage: $40,360
• Paramedic annual wage: $71,180
• Police annual wage: $91,690
• Firefighter annual wage: $84,930

Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting of this article.

_{Methodology: GOBankingRates determined how much first-responders earn in every state, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics for May 2021 (latest data available) for the mean annual wages of three core first-responder jobs in all 50 U.S. states: (1) police and sheriff’s patrol officers; (2) emergency medical technicians; (3) paramedics; and (4) firefighters. Each job’s salary was scored, added up and ranked from worst paying states to best. All data compiled on March 8, 2023.}