Salaries / Paramedic / California
Paramedic pay in California
The median paramedic in California earns $35.86 an hour, about $74,589 a year (BLS, May 2025).
Survey wages for paramedics across all employers in California, before tax. Your offer depends on the employer, shift and experience. Informational only.
The range
Half of California's paramedics earn between $30.52 and $43.62 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $49.26; the bottom 10% less than $25.66.
- $35.86median hourly
- $74,589median, full-time year
- #8 of 51by median, among states and D.C. with data
- +23%vs the U.S. median ($29.13)
| Percentile | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $25.66 | $53,373 |
| 25th | $30.52 | $63,482 |
| Median | $35.86 | $74,589 |
| 75th | $43.62 | $90,730 |
| 90th | $49.26 | $102,461 |
Yearly figures are hourly × 2,080 hours (40 a week, 52 weeks), the way BLS converts them.
By metro area
Paramedic pay in California's metro areas, from Redding, CA ($42.66) down to Visalia, CA ($30.69). Metro areas that cross a state line are listed in each state. Rural areas are not shown.
| Metro area | Median hourly | Middle half | Top 10% earn more than |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redding, CA | $42.66 | $29.44–$49.28 | $49.28 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $40.61 | $39.71–$50.00 | $64.16 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $39.95 | $38.07–$50.25 | $61.54 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $39.15 | $32.31–$42.22 | $49.26 |
| Salinas, CA | $38.81 | $37.93–$50.30 | $57.03 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $38.74 | $35.46–$49.20 | $49.20 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $36.01 | $29.07–$41.96 | $49.06 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $35.62 | $34.88–$41.62 | $46.05 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $35.54 | $31.21–$54.28 | $54.28 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $34.87 | $30.81–$39.89 | $47.39 |
| Modesto, CA | $34.70 | $31.80–$38.27 | $46.98 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $34.32 | $31.80–$40.17 | $48.38 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $33.96 | $30.35–$42.02 | $48.17 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $33.20 | $29.76–$36.65 | $45.16 |
| Merced, CA | $30.82 | $25.66–$31.32 | $35.40 |
| Visalia, CA | $30.69 | $24.66–$32.87 | $34.70 |
What it is worth at California prices
Prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average (BEA regional price parity 110.7). At U.S.-average prices the median paramedic wage here buys what $32.39 an hour would, which ranks #13 of 51 states and D.C. Rent is the biggest piece; check the area you would live in with the housing cost reference or the offer calculator.
paramedic jobs in California
34 paramedic jobs listed in California on our board as of November 11, 2026; 21 post pay. Pay is weekly as posted, before tax; contract and travel pay includes the stipend.
- $1,251/wkmedian posted weekly pay
- $944–$1,329middle half of posted pay
- $1,271/wkStaff jobs, 14 jobs
Nearby in the ranking
- Minnesota: #6, $36.68/hr
- Oregon: #7, $35.98/hr
- New York: #9, $35.19/hr
- Alaska: #10, $34.55/hr
- All states for paramedics
Weighing a staff job here against PRN or a contract? See what each pays over a year and how to read a pay package.
Sources for this page
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 state estimates SOC 29-2043. Released May 15, 2026. Checked November 10, 2026.
- BLS Handbook of Methods, OEWS annual wage calculation Checked November 10, 2026.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, metropolitan areas Released May 15, 2026; imported 2026-11-10. A + marks a wage BLS publishes only as $115.00 an hour or more. Checked November 10, 2026.
- BLS May 2025 metro-area release footnote (wages shown only as $115.00 an hour or more) Checked November 10, 2026.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 Values imported 2026-10-11. Checked November 10, 2026.