Emergency Medical Technicians pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,000 a year or less, while the top 10% make $101,160 or more. The middle half of emergency medical technicians in Santa Cruz earn between $45,660 and $63,630.
- $40K10th
- $46K25th
- $52KMedian
- $64K75th
- $101K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $59,910 | $4,992 | $28.80 |
| Median | $51,970 | $4,331 | $24.99 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,660 | $3,805 | $21.95 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,630 | $5,302 | $30.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Emergency Medical Technicians pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Emergency medical technicians in Santa Cruz earn 13% more than the California average ($52,900) and 28% more than the U.S. average ($46,830). At the median the gap is +17% against the U.S. median of $44,470.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $59,910 | $51,970 | $40,000 | $101,160 | 70 |
| California | $52,900 | $46,380 | $38,740 | $78,150 | 21,880 |
| United States | $46,830 | $44,470 | $34,130 | $62,500 | 180,510 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Emergency Medical Technicians salary after taxes in Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $59,910, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $48,531 a year, or $4,044 a month and $1,867 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Cruz a good place for emergency medical technicians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $59,910 buys what about $54,515 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 19.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Emergency Medical Technicians salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 2nd of 21 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($72,700).
- San Jose$72,700
- Santa Cruz$59,910
- San Francisco$59,630
- Sacramento$58,190
- Santa Rosa$55,510
- Salinas$54,630
- Redding$54,560
- Modesto$52,560
- Napa$52,360
- Bakersfield$50,710
Highest-paying cities for emergency medical technicians
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($72,700).
- San Jose, CA$72,700
- Honolulu, HI$70,060
- Chicago, IL$63,090
- Santa Cruz, CA$59,910
- San Francisco, CA$59,630
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Emergency Medical Technicians salary in Santa Cruz: questions
How much do emergency medical technicians make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$28.80 an hour on average, and $24.98 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level emergency medical technicians salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,000 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,660, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the emergency medical technicians take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $48,531 a year ($4,044 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $59,910. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do emergency medical technicians earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 28% more than the U.S. average for this job ($46,830).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-2042; area Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.4%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.64, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.64).
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