Salary · CA · SOC 29-2043

Paramedic salary in California, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for paramedics in California, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for paramedics in California was $74,590 a year, or $35.86 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $53,370 to $102,450. About 5,190 were employed.

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Paramedic pay in California vs the US

Paramedic wages in California and the US, May 2025
Measure	CA annual	CA hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$74,590	$35.86	$60,600
Mean (average)	$77,740	$37.37	$63,360
10th percentile	$53,370	$25.66	$44,230
25th percentile	$63,490	$30.52	$49,660
75th percentile	$90,730	$43.62	$73,470
90th percentile	$102,450	$49.26	$84,850

Employment in California: 5,190. Location quotient: 0.44 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Paramedic salary by metro area in California

Paramedic median wage by metro area, California
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$74,900	$36.01	1,200
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$83,090	$39.95	780
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$72,520	$34.87	580
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$70,630	$33.96	430
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$81,430	$39.15	390
Modesto, CA	$72,170	$34.70	130
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$69,050	$33.20	120
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$84,480	$40.61	110
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$74,080	$35.62	70
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$80,590	$38.74	60
Salinas, CA	$80,710	$38.81	50
Visalia, CA	$63,840	$30.69	50
Redding, CA	$88,740	$42.66	40
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$73,930	$35.54	40
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$71,390	$34.32	40
Merced, CA	$64,100	$30.82	30

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Paramedic salary in California

Median pay: $74,590 a year ($35.86 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $53,370 to $102,450 a year

Employed: 5,190

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Paramedic salary in California</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$74,590</strong> a year ($35.86 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $53,370 to $102,450 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 5,190</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/paramedic/ca" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does a Paramedic make per hour in California?

The median hourly wage was $35.86 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $25.66 and the 90th was $49.26.

What is the average Paramedic salary in California?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $77,740 a year and a median of $74,590 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do paramedics in California earn more than the US median?

The California median of $74,590 is 23% higher than the US median of $60,600 (BLS, May 2025).

How does California rank for paramedic pay?

California ranks 8 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for paramedics (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-2043. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.