Flight Paramedic Salary in US | How Much Do A Flight Paramedic Make in 2023?

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A Flight Paramedic Salary in California, Texas, or any other state in the U.S differ. As a Life flight paramedic, you must be a good paramedic, respiratory therapist, and skilled nurse too.

One of the most fascinating occupations in the world is that of a flight paramedic. They work on the front lines of aeromedical emergencies, transports, and evacuations. This work blends critical care professional abilities with the thrill of mobile air rescue.

The average Flight Paramedic salary in the United States is $50,800 per year. Salaries can be as high as $199,000 and as low as $39,500.

This article will guide you on how you can begin this career path, and also how much you can make as a Flight paramedic in the United States.

What is Flight Paramedic?

A flight paramedic is a highly trained paramedic who offers treatment to sick and injured patients in an aeromedical setting onboard either fixed or rotor-wing aircraft, according to Wikipedia.

A flight paramedic will often collaborate with a licensed nurse, physician, Respiratory Therapist, or another paramedic.

What Does a Flight Paramedic Do?

Flight Paramedic Duties and Responsibilities

Responding to emergency calls for air transportation
Assessing a patient’s health at the scene and deciding on a treatment plan (e.g., administering medication, injections, and IVs)
Safely loading the patient onto the aircraft and bringing them to the hospital
Transporting patients to a hospital’s emergency department
Informing emergency physicians, nurses, or other healthcare institution personnel about the patient’s previous treatment.
Recording medical treatment provided to patients

Following up on stock, replacement, and cleaning supplies and equipment

In the aeromedical area, there is always diversity. You may have the title “flight paramedic,” but what you perform on shift is greatly dependent on the sort of service (i.e. company) for which you work.

Here are some examples of many kinds of services:

911 Emergency Responses

In certain cases, first responders on the scene request an airplane to take a patient away from the scene of an event. This might be a severe automobile accident, a fire, or even an extremely poor medical situation. In any case, someone has determined that this patient has to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

Specialized Care

Some circumstances simply require that additional touch. These teams specialize in specific areas of medical care.

These sorts of calls are most prevalent in pediatrics and neonatology, but additional instances include ECMO and foreign repatriation.

Hospital-Based

Hospital-based services are a component of a larger, more comprehensive institution, such as a medical center or hospital.

These facilities develop and operate their own in-house air medical programs as an extension of their services.

Interfacility Transports (IFT)

In rare cases, a critically ill or injured patient may require a transfer from one institution to another for a procedure or therapy that is not available at their present facility. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘higher degree of care.

Transfers frequently include ER to ER, ER to ICU, ICU to ICU, and any other type of hospital transfer.

Search & Rescue

Flight paramedics are ideal candidates for search and rescue activities due to their mix of flight and extensive medical training. Working in this position may require you to scour large regions for misplaced patients. Some agencies also use hoist and rope rescue procedures to get patients out of difficult-to-reach places.

Are Flight Paramedics Well Paid?

Flight paramedics are well paid, in the United States, the average flight paramedic income is $53,996 per year or $27.69 per hour.

Entry-level salaries begin at $41,775 per year, with most experienced professionals earning up to $60,879 per year (Talent.com).

How to Become a Flight Paramedic

To become a flight paramedic, you must first receive ground paramedic training. This will involve completing EMT-B basic training and the NREMT accreditation test.

It is also critical in maintaining education as a ground paramedic by attending training classes and obtaining as many certifications as feasible. It is also critical to keep all credentials up to date.

A flight paramedic must also have the following qualifications:

Certification for TNACT-, CCEMTP-, and ATLS audits
Primary Life Support
Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Pediatric Advanced Life Support

An interested applicant must also fulfill other fundamental standards, such as being above the age of 18, having at least three years of paramedic experience, and passing a criminal background check and drug test, in addition to possessing the relevant certifications.

How Difficult is the Flight Paramedic Exam?

The FP-C test can be taken after at least three years of experience as a paramedic and meeting all of the essential certification criteria.

The test is given by the Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification (BCCTPC) and lasts 2.5 hours, with 125 questions covering a wide range of topics.

The BCCTPC includes a candidate guide with extra information and example questions.

The following minimal credentials are required for most flight paramedic positions:

3-5 years of ALS experience as a paramedic in a high-volume service
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification
Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) certification

What are the Factors that Affect Flight Paramedic Salary?

Years of Experience

Salary increases are often linked to your degree of experience. In general, the longer you work as a flight paramedic, the more money you can anticipate making.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey, the following factors might influence your flight paramedic income.

Level of experience	Salary
Entry-level (less than 1 year)	$45,580
Early career (1 to 4 years)	$52,409
Mid-career (5 to 9 years)	$64,148
Experienced (10 to 19 years)	$79,313
Late career (20+ years)	$103,102

Flight Paramedic Salary by Years of Experience

Location

Your location might also influence how much you can earn as a flight paramedic.

Working in a major urban location typically equates to a greater wage as well as a higher cost of living.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has provided a list of key cities and their related average flight paramedic salaries.

City	Average Salary
Portland, OR	$93,530
Baltimore, MD	$87,458
Washington DC, DC	$84,041
Los Angeles, CA	$82,946
Minneapolis, MN	$80,574

Flight Paramedic Salary by Location

How Much Does a Flight Paramedic Make the U.S. in 2022?

The average Flight Medic income in the United States is $49,530 as of May 27, 2022, according to Salary.com, however, the range frequently falls between $45,847 and $55,073.

Flight Paramedic Salary Per Year

The majority of Flight Paramedic salaries presently vary between $62,500 (25th percentile) and $110,500 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $182,000 yearly across the United States, according to ZipRecruiter.

The average yearly salary for a Flight Paramedic in the United States is $96,900 as of June 8, 2022.

That works out to about $46.59 per hour using a basic pay calculator. This equates to $1,863 each week or $8,075 per month.

Flight Paramedic Salary Per Month?

The average hourly wage for a Flight Paramedic in the United States is $8,075 /month as of June 8, 2022 (ZipRecruiter).

How Much is a Flight Paramedic Salary Per Hour

According to ZipRecruiter, hourly pay may range from $95.67 to $18.99, with the bulk of Flight Paramedic wages now ranging between $30.05 (25th percentile) to $53.12 (75th percentile) across the United States.

So, the average hourly wage for a Flight Paramedic in the United States is $46.59 per hour as of June 8, 2022.

Flight Paramedic Salary Based on Level

Entry Level Flight Paramedic Salary

The average yearly salary for an Entry Level Paramedic in the United States is $42,973 as of June 8, 2022.

That works out to about $20.66 per hour using a basic pay calculation. This amounts to $826 each week or $3,581 per month (ZipRecruiter).

The yearly salary ranges from $34,000 (25th percentile) to $48,500 (75th percentile) in the United States, with top earners (90th percentile) earning $57,500.

Senior Level Flight Paramedic Salary

According to ZipRecruiter, the annual salaries are as high as $64,500 and as low as $20,500, the majority of Entry Level Paramedic salaries currently range between $45,000 (25th percentile) to $84,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $137,500 annually across the United States.

Flight Paramedic Salary By Location

Flight Paramedic Salary By State?

State	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Washington	$107,641	$8,970	$2,070	$51.75
Maryland	$105,853	$8,821	$2,036	$50.89
Virginia	$102,774	$8,564	$1,976	$49.41
New York	$102,352	$8,529	$1,968	$49.21
Delaware	$100,843	$8,404	$1,939	$48.48
Nebraska	$100,344	$8,362	$1,930	$48.24
California	$97,562	$8,130	$1,876	$46.90
Idaho	$97,224	$8,102	$1,870	$46.74
New Hampshire	$96,489	$8,041	$1,856	$46.39
Vermont	$95,149	$7,929	$1,830	$45.74
Oklahoma	$94,792	$7,899	$1,823	$45.57
Massachusetts	$94,184	$7,849	$1,811	$45.28
Hawaii	$92,411	$7,701	$1,777	$44.43
Nevada	$92,322	$7,694	$1,775	$44.39
Montana	$91,745	$7,645	$1,764	$44.11
New Jersey	$91,734	$7,645	$1,764	$44.10
Maine	$91,464	$7,622	$1,759	$43.97
Arizona	$90,927	$7,577	$1,749	$43.72
Tennessee	$89,881	$7,490	$1,728	$43.21
Connecticut	$89,724	$7,477	$1,725	$43.14
Wyoming	$89,692	$7,474	$1,725	$43.12
Rhode Island	$88,851	$7,404	$1,709	$42.72
Alaska	$88,496	$7,375	$1,702	$42.55
Indiana	$87,388	$7,282	$1,681	$42.01
Oregon	$87,249	$7,271	$1,678	$41.95
Minnesota	$87,125	$7,260	$1,675	$41.89
North Dakota	$86,755	$7,230	$1,668	$41.71
West Virginia	$86,631	$7,219	$1,666	$41.65
Texas	$86,150	$7,179	$1,657	$41.42
Pennsylvania	$84,711	$7,059	$1,629	$40.73
Wisconsin	$83,123	$6,927	$1,599	$39.96
Ohio	$82,783	$6,899	$1,592	$39.80
Iowa	$82,400	$6,867	$1,585	$39.62
South Dakota	$82,235	$6,853	$1,581	$39.54
Utah	$81,483	$6,790	$1,567	$39.17
Colorado	$81,246	$6,770	$1,562	$39.06
South Carolina	$81,020	$6,752	$1,558	$38.95
Alabama	$79,562	$6,630	$1,530	$38.25
New Mexico	$79,495	$6,625	$1,529	$38.22
Arkansas	$79,490	$6,624	$1,529	$38.22
Kansas	$78,425	$6,535	$1,508	$37.70
Michigan	$78,093	$6,508	$1,502	$37.54
Mississippi	$77,347	$6,446	$1,487	$37.19
Florida	$77,321	$6,443	$1,487	$37.17
Kentucky	$76,875	$6,406	$1,478	$36.96
Illinois	$75,822	$6,319	$1,458	$36.45
Missouri	$74,566	$6,214	$1,434	$35.85
Georgia	$73,961	$6,163	$1,422	$35.56
Louisiana	$70,366	$5,864	$1,353	$33.83
North Carolina	$68,053	$5,671	$1,309	$32.72

Flight Paramedic Salary by State

What are the Top 10 Highest Paying Cities in the United States for Flight Paramedic jobs?

With average incomes greater than the national average in these ten places, the chances for economic progression as a Flight Paramedic look to be quite successful.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Green River, WY	$117,498	$9,791	$2,260	$56.49
Richmond, CA	$116,377	$9,698	$2,238	$55.95
Stamford, CT	$115,022	$9,585	$2,212	$55.30
Bellevue, WA	$114,371	$9,531	$2,199	$54.99
Belgrade, MT	$113,014	$9,418	$2,173	$54.33
Santa Clara, CA	$111,625	$9,302	$2,147	$53.67
San Francisco, CA	$109,654	$9,138	$2,109	$52.72
Hartford, CT	$108,990	$9,082	$2,096	$52.40
Elk Grove, CA	$108,836	$9,070	$2,093	$52.32
Gillette, WY	$108,789	$9,066	$2,092	$52.30

Highest Paying Cities in the United States for Flight Paramedic jobs

Flight Paramedic Salary Texas

The average yearly salary for a Flight Paramedic in Texas is $86,150 as of June 8, 2022. That works out to about $41.42 per hour using a basic pay calculation. This equals $1,657 each week or $7,179 per month according to ZipRecruiter.

According to ZipRecruiter, the majority of Flight Paramedic salaries presently vary between $54,255 (25th percentile) and $95,924 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $157,992 yearly in Texas.

What are the Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Flight Paramedic Jobs in Texas

With these ten cities paying more than the state average, the chances for economic progression as a Flight Paramedic look to be quite successful.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Pasadena	$102,684	$8,557	$1,975	$49.37
Mesquite	$99,780	$8,315	$1,919	$47.97
Pearland	$99,509	$8,292	$1,914	$47.84
Port Arthur	$96,696	$8,058	$1,860	$46.49
Plano	$95,651	$7,971	$1,839	$45.99
Richardson	$94,679	$7,890	$1,821	$45.52
Midland	$94,390	$7,866	$1,815	$45.38
Carrollton	$93,690	$7,807	$1,802	$45.04
Lewisville	$92,411	$7,701	$1,777	$44.43
League City	$91,703	$7,642	$1,764	$44.09

Highest Paying Cities for Flight Paramedic Jobs in Texas

Flight Paramedic Salary California

According to ZipRecruiter, the majority of Flight Paramedic salaries presently vary between $62,079 (25th percentile) and $109,756 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $180,775 yearly in California.

The average yearly salary for a Flight Paramedic in California is $97,562 as of June 8, 2022.

Using a basic pay calculation, that comes out to about $46.90 per hour. This equals $1,876 each week or $8,130 per month.

What are the Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Flight Paramedic Jobs in California

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Richmond	$116,377	$9,698	$2,238	$55.95
Santa Clara	$111,625	$9,302	$2,147	$53.67
San Francisco	$109,654	$9,138	$2,109	$52.72
Elk Grove	$108,836	$9,070	$2,093	$52.32
Pasadena	$108,070	$9,006	$2,078	$51.96
Glendale	$107,284	$8,940	$2,063	$51.58
Fremont	$107,237	$8,936	$2,062	$51.56
Torrance	$107,034	$8,920	$2,058	$51.46
Palmdale	$106,812	$8,901	$2,054	$51.35
Carlsbad	$106,264	$8,855	$2,044	$51.09

Highest Paying Cities for Flight Paramedic Jobs in California

Flight Paramedic Salary Based on Field

Life Flight Paramedic Salary

Average salary: $72,444 /year (ZipRecruiter)

Life flight paramedics are highly-qualified nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, and physicians who are available for customized care and treatment when transferring critically sick and wounded adult patients.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Flight Physician	$187,088	$15,591	$3,598	$89.95
Critical Care Flight Nurse	$103,357	$8,613	$1,988	$49.69
Flight Management	$100,959	$8,413	$1,942	$48.54
Critical Care Transport Paramedic	$96,099	$8,008	$1,848	$46.20
Critical Care Flight Paramedic	$95,973	$7,998	$1,846	$46.14

Best Paying Related Flight Paramedic Salary Jobs in the U.S

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several prospects for flight paramedics! The majority of flight paramedics work full-time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They may work overnight and on weekends, and some EMTs perform shifts of 12 or 24 hours.

Flight paramedics should anticipate making more than their ambulatory competitors, earning between $20 and $24 per hour on average (or $50,000 to $60,000 yearly), and that figure should improve as years of experience are gathered (Payscale).

FAQs

How Much Do Paramedics Earn USA?

In the United States, the national average compensation for a paramedic is $46,226.

Where Do Flight Paramedics Get Paid the Most?

Santa Clara, CA, $111,625/yr and $2,147/wk.

What is the Highest Paid Paramedic?

The highest-paid quarter earned $47,810 that year, while the lowest-paid quarter earned $29,170.

How Many Paramedics are there in the US?

According to the 2020 National EMS Assessment, there is 1,030,760 certified EMS personnel in the United States, ranging from emergency medical responders to paramedics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do paramedics earn USA?