Prevailing Wage for Emergency Medical Technicians
Prevailing wage for Emergency Medical Technicians (SOC 29-2042) is set by the Department of Labor across four experience levels, with the floor varying significantly by worksite city. Whether your offer covers an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) role or a First Responder position, the DOL level and metro determine the minimum a sponsored employer must pay.
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Entry-level EMTs with limited field experience, typically new certifications or recent training program graduates performing basic life support under direct supervision. DOL places these candidates at Level 1 when the role involves routine, closely supervised emergency response with minimal independent judgment.
Qualified EMTs with two or more years of field experience handling a wider range of emergency calls with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Emergency Medical Technicians, reflecting the majority of sponsored roles in fire departments, private ambulance services, and hospital systems.
Experienced EMTs or paramedic-certified professionals who exercise significant independent judgment, may train junior staff, and manage complex pre-hospital care scenarios. Employers filing at Level 3 typically document specialized certifications, lead responsibilities, or advanced life support scope in the LCA.
Senior First Responders or lead EMTs overseeing teams, developing protocols, or functioning in supervisory capacities. DOL Level 4 applies when the role requires full competency across all emergency scenarios, independent decision-making, and responsibility for outcomes without routine oversight.
Prevailing Wage for Emergency Medical Technicians by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Emergency Medical Technicians and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your EMT certification tier before filing
EMT-Basic, EMT-Advanced, and paramedic certifications often map to different DOL wage levels. Employers who file an LCA citing a paramedic scope but pay at the EMT-Basic floor risk a prevailing wage violation, so confirm the SOC level reflects the actual certification required.
Watch out for California and Hawaii metro gaps
San Jose and Urban Honolulu show prevailing wage floors for Emergency Medical Technicians well above national medians at every level. If your offer is in either market, the L1 floor alone exceeds the national L3 figure, making metro selection a critical compliance checkpoint.
Check employer sponsorship history on Migrate Mate
Private ambulance companies and hospital-based EMS programs differ sharply in H-1B filing frequency. Migrate Mate shows which specific employers have sponsored Emergency Medical Technician roles in the past, so you can target organizations with an established sponsorship track record before applying.
Confirm on-call and overtime are excluded from the wage floor
DOL prevailing wage compliance for EMTs is measured against the base hourly or salary rate, not total compensation including overtime. Offers structured heavily around overtime pay in 24-hour shift schedules may technically meet total earnings targets while falling below the required base floor.
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Find Jobs for Emergency Medical TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-2042.00 alongside Emergency Medical Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Prevailing Wage
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Prevailing Wage
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) positions fall under SOC 29-2042.00 (Emergency Medical Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
First Responder Prevailing Wage
First Responder Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a First Responder for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2042.00 (Emergency Medical Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the DOL set the prevailing wage for Emergency Medical Technicians?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages for each SOC code, including 29-2042 for Emergency Medical Technicians. OFLC publishes these figures annually and employers must use them when filing a Labor Condition Application for any sponsored EMT position. The wage reflects actual compensation paid in the specific geographic area.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL assigns four levels based on experience, supervision, and complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level EMTs under close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified professionals with field experience and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 applies to experienced practitioners with independent judgment. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles. Your employer's LCA specifies the level, and it must match the actual duties and qualifications listed in the job posting.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same EMT role vary so much between cities?
OFLC bases wage floors on regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, which capture actual pay in each metropolitan area. High cost-of-living markets like San Jose and Urban Honolulu show substantially higher floors than national medians, while Puerto Rico metros sit well below the national figures. The worksite address on the LCA determines which metro wage applies, not the employer's headquarters, so a single employer hiring in multiple cities must meet each location's floor independently.
What happens if an employer offers below the prevailing wage for a sponsored EMT position?
If the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite, USCIS will deny the H-1B or other visa petition because the LCA cannot be certified by DOL. Employers who underpay after certification risk back-wage liability, debarment from future sponsorship, and civil penalties. For the candidate, an underpaid offer does not clear the DOL floor and cannot support a valid visa petition without correction.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Emergency Medical Technician role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC code 29-2042 and select the relevant metropolitan area. The tool displays all four wage levels for that location. Cross-reference the level your employer intends to file at against the offered salary. For identifying which employers have actively sponsored First Responder and EMT roles in specific metros, Migrate Mate filters sponsored listings by role and location so you can see real hiring activity alongside your wage research.
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