GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Emergency Medical Technicians
Best States to Be a Emergency Medical Technicians
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a emergency medical technicians salary goes furthest in Hawaii — a $66,410 BLS median worth $57,201 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 132.2).
Which US states are best for a emergency medical technicians after cost of living and tax?
For a emergency medical technicians, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Hawaii #1: a $66,410 BLS median becomes $57,201 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 132.2). Montana ranks last ($37,134, index 85.8). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Hawaii ranks #1 of 51 states for a emergency medical technicians. Index 100 = the average state; 132.2 means pay goes 32.2% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedEmergency Medical Technicians — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $66,410 | $3,517 | 110.0 | $57,201 | 132.2 |
| 2 | Alaska | $57,440 | — | 102.4 | $56,116 | 129.7 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $47,070 | — | 92.7 | $50,782 | 117.4 |
| 4 | Washington | $52,690 | — | 107.0 | $49,237 | 113.8 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $51,290 | $1,323 | 102.3 | $48,853 | 112.9 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $53,610 | $1,414 | 108.8 | $47,972 | 110.9 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $50,640 | $1,354 | 103.6 | $47,569 | 110.0 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $48,090 | $1,781 | 98.6 | $46,956 | 108.5 |
| 9 | Maine | $46,340 | $1,519 | 97.0 | $46,183 | 106.7 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $44,250 | $1,339 | 94.3 | $45,492 | 105.1 |
| 11 | Georgia | $45,550 | $1,808 | 96.3 | $45,426 | 105.0 |
| 12 | Vermont | $45,600 | $1,109 | 98.0 | $45,419 | 105.0 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $50,230 | $2,292 | 105.8 | $45,329 | 104.8 |
| 14 | Missouri | $42,160 | $1,101 | 90.8 | $45,211 | 104.5 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $41,710 | $1,084 | 90.1 | $45,089 | 104.2 |
| 16 | Delaware | $46,790 | $1,920 | 99.8 | $44,956 | 103.9 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $46,790 | — | 104.2 | $44,919 | 103.8 |
| 18 | Iowa | $40,660 | $1,505 | 87.8 | $44,615 | 103.1 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $39,670 | — | 89.0 | $44,594 | 103.1 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $43,060 | $1,135 | 94.1 | $44,556 | 103.0 |
| 21 | Indiana | $42,740 | $1,252 | 93.3 | $44,453 | 102.7 |
| 22 | Oregon | $49,270 | $3,507 | 103.4 | $44,275 | 102.3 |
| 23 | Maryland | $48,100 | $1,952 | 105.0 | $43,968 | 101.6 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $40,330 | — | 91.9 | $43,899 | 101.5 |
| 25 | Virginia | $45,420 | $1,812 | 101.1 | $43,132 | 99.7 |
| 26 | Colorado | $45,750 | $1,353 | 103.1 | $43,082 | 99.6 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $43,310 | $1,330 | 97.6 | $43,025 | 99.4 |
| 28 | Ohio | $40,220 | $324 | 92.8 | $43,004 | 99.4 |
| 29 | New York | $48,400 | $2,057 | 107.9 | $42,942 | 99.3 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $40,370 | $896 | 93.7 | $42,106 | 97.3 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $36,800 | — | 88.6 | $41,542 | 96.0 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $36,630 | $807 | 87.0 | $41,199 | 95.2 |
| 33 | California | $46,380 | $879 | 110.7 | $41,096 | 95.0 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $46,650 | $1,699 | 109.9 | $40,901 | 94.5 |
| 35 | Alabama | $37,810 | $1,626 | 88.8 | $40,738 | 94.2 |
| 36 | Illinois | $42,260 | $1,951 | 100.0 | $40,326 | 93.2 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $36,230 | $1,204 | 86.9 | $40,288 | 93.1 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $37,550 | $695 | 92.2 | $39,968 | 92.4 |
| 39 | Michigan | $39,870 | $1,448 | 96.2 | $39,933 | 92.3 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $35,870 | $701 | 88.2 | $39,871 | 92.2 |
| 41 | Idaho | $38,840 | $1,092 | 95.5 | $39,530 | 91.4 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $36,800 | $1,341 | 90.2 | $39,329 | 90.9 |
| 43 | Arizona | $39,500 | $513 | 100.7 | $38,725 | 89.5 |
| 44 | Florida | $39,870 | — | 103.4 | $38,554 | 89.1 |
| 45 | Kansas | $35,780 | $1,197 | 90.1 | $38,397 | 88.8 |
| 46 | Texas | $37,260 | — | 97.1 | $38,390 | 88.7 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $34,170 | $1,085 | 87.8 | $37,663 | 87.1 |
| 48 | Utah | $38,930 | $1,771 | 98.9 | $37,586 | 86.9 |
| 49 | Nevada | $37,560 | — | 100.0 | $37,568 | 86.8 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $34,360 | $911 | 89.5 | $37,374 | 86.4 |
| 51 | Montana | $36,140 | $994 | 94.6 | $37,134 | 85.8 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Hawaii, a $66,410 salary is worth about $53,756 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $7,305 (≈ top marginal 11.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $59,105 · BEA cost of living 110.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $74,967, a $21,211 gain over Hawaii.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $74,967 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $73,409 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $73,030 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $73,014 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $72,795 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $72,786 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $72,287 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $72,010 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $71,647 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $71,028 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $70,712 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $70,627 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Emergency Medical Technicians — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a emergency medical technicians?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Hawaii is the best state for a emergency medical technicians: a BLS median of $66,410 is worth $57,201 after the 2025 state income tax ($3,517) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 110.0), an index of 132.2 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a emergency medical technicians at $66,410, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 132.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a emergency medical technicians salary go least far?
- Montana ranks last of 51 states for a emergency medical technicians: a $36,140 BLS median is worth only $37,134 after tax and cost of living (index 85.8). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a emergency medical technicians is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.