The Best Paramedic & EMT Programs
A career as an EMT or a paramedic can go one of two ways. It can give you a fulfilling career providing essential medical care when people need it the most, or it can be a great stepping stone to other medical professions. If either appeals to you, you're on the right track to finding the perfect job for you.
Becoming a paramedic or EMT requires training and passing a national exam. Read on to find some of the best paramedic and EMT programs.
25 Best EMT and Paramedic Programs
The best paramedic and EMT programs are state-approved, affordable, and have good graduation rates. Here are some of the best paramedic and EMT programs in the country in alphabetical order:
How We Choose the Best Programs
We chose the best paramedic and EMT programs based on the following criteria:
- Under $35,000 net price
- Over 50% graduation rate
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Educational Health Programs (CAAHEP) accreditation
- State-approval
Auburn Career Center
School type: Public
Net price: $16,588
Graduation rate: 64%
Auburn Career Center offers a 5.5-month EMT program and an 11.5-month paramedic program. Both programs involve clinical internships and prepare students for the National Registry exam.
Blue Ridge Community College
School type: Public
Net price: $7,924
Graduation rate: 53%
Blue Ridge Community College's Emergency Medical Science Program prepares students to become paramedics. It offers both an associate degree and a bridge program.
Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center
School type: Public
Net price: up to $7,777
Graduation rate: 84%
Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center offers both an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) course and a Paramedic course. They also offer an EMT course for high school students.
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center
School type: Private for-profit
Net price: up to $6,698
Graduation rate: 70%
Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center's School of Emergency Medical Services has both an EMT program and a paramedic program. The EMT program takes six months to complete, and the paramedic program takes a year.
Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center
School type: Public
Net price: up to $6,900
Graduation rate: 75%
Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center offers three Fire & EMS Training programs: Firefighter + EMT Basic, EMT Basic, and Paramedic.
First Coast Technical College
School type: Public
Net price: up to $6,043
Graduation rate: 93%
First Coast Technical College offers a 48-week paramedic program and a 12-week EMT program.
Fortis College-Smyrna
School type: Private for-profit
Net price: $19,849
Graduation rate: 63%
Fortis College at Smyrna has an Emergency Medical Services program for EMTs and a Paramedic program.
Fox Valley Technical College
School type: Public
Net price: up to $9,570
Graduation rate: 55%
Fox Valley Technical College offers two technical diploma programs: Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic.
Gordon Cooper Technology Center
School type: Public
Net price: up to $5,015
Graduation rate: 72%
Gordon Cooper Technology Center's Paramedic course is for those who are already EMTs. They also have an EMT course you can take to satisfy that requirement.
Grand River Technical School
School type: Public
Net price: $8,674
Graduation rate: 90%
Grand River Technical School offers EMT-Basic and EMT-Paramedic programs. The first is a one-year certificate program, and the second is a two-year Associate of Applied Science program.
Lake Area Technical College
School type: Public
Net price: $12,075
Graduation rate: 68%
Lake Area Technical College has both in-person and online courses in its Med/Fire Program. You have the option to complete an Associate of Applied Science degree in Med/Fire Rescue, or you can earn a paramedic diploma after the first 15 months in the AAS program.
Lake Technical College
School type: Public
Net price: up to $6,479
Graduation rate: 75%
Lake Technical College's EMT program takes about six months to complete, and its Paramedic program takes almost a year to complete.
Lewis and Clark Community College
School type: Public
Net price: up to $4,755
Graduation rate: 51%
Lewis and Clark Community College offers three different programs: Emergency Medical Technician certificate, Paramedicine associate degree, and paramedicine certificate.
Manatee Technical College
School type: Public
Net price: up to $5,200
Graduation rate: 91%
Manatee Technical College offers two Applied Technology diploma programs for EMS: Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic.
Moraine Park Technical College
School type: Public
Net price: $1,561
Graduation rate: 54%
Moraine Park Technical College offers the following paramedic and EMT programs:
Northeast Community College
School type: Public
Net price: $8,813
Graduation rate: 53%
Northeast Community College offers a Paramedic associate degree or diploma program. Both prepare you for the National Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians - Paramedic exam and Nebraska licensure.
Northwood Technical College-Rice Lake
School type: Public
Net price: up to $9,803
Graduation rate: 63%
Northwood Technical College offers Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic technical diploma programs. They also offer a Paramedic Technician associate degree program.
Collins Career Center
School type: Public
Net price: $8,850
Graduation rate: 72%
Collins Career Center offers a Paramedic program where students complete 12 hours of hospital time and 12 hours of internship time per week.
Pike-Lincoln Technical Center
School type: Public
Net price: $5,307
Graduation rate: 72%
Pike-Lincoln Technical Center offers a nine-month EMT-Basic course and a 12-month Paramedic program where students complete classroom, clinical, and internship phases.
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences
School type: Private not-for-profit
Net price: $17,016
Graduation rate: 52%
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences offers three certificate programs: EMT, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic. You'll complete clinical rotations at Reading Hospital, and you can transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree at Immaculata University.
Rend Lake College
School type: Public
Net price: up to $10,936
Graduation rate: 56%
Rend Lake College offers three programs: EMT Certificate, EMT Paramedic Certificate, and EMT Paramedic Degree.
Suncoast Technical College
School type: Public
Net price: up to $7,000
Graduation rate: 92%
Suncoast Technical College offers a Paramedic program and an Emergency Medical Technician program. Both courses result in Applied Technical Diplomas.
Tri-Rivers Career Center
School type: Public
Net price: up to $7,195
Graduation rate: 71%
Tri-Rivers Career Center's Paramedicine program includes 400 hours of clinical experience. You must be a current EMT to join the program. They also have an EMT program you can complete in 170 hours.
Tulsa Technology Center
School type: Public
Net price: $8,129
Graduation rate: 75%
Tulsa Technology Center offers an Emergency Medical Technician program for adult students. Clinical hours vary for different students. Their Paramedic program takes either 13 or 14 months, depending on what class times you attend.
University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville
School type: Public
Net price: up to $1,930
Graduation rate: 52%
The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville offers an Emergency Technology Program that qualifies students to become EMTs and Paramedics.
How to Become an EMT/Paramedic
The training for EMTs and paramedics is quite different.
The best EMT schools can often be found at vocational schools and community colleges, and they only take a few months to complete. However, training to become a paramedic is a bit more in-depth and requires a lot more coursework. This is because paramedics are trained to do more lifesaving techniques — such as applying pacemakers, administering medicine, and inserting IV lines.
Once you complete the required training, both EMTs and paramedics must take an exam with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. The exam is in two parts — the cognitive exam and the psychomotor exam. The cost for EMTs is $70, and the cost for paramedics is $152.
FAQs on Paramedic and EMT Programs
What do you learn in EMT school?
EMT students learn how to do a variety of first responder essential skills. These include but are not limited to:
- How to drive an ambulance
- Basic trauma care
- How to perform CPR
- How to treat excessive blood loss
- How to take a patient's vital signs
- How to clear an obstructed airway
How long is EMT school?
Depending on which state you live in, EMTs typically require around 150 hours of training. There is coursework required, but a majority of EMT training is hands-on practice.
How long is paramedic school?
The length of time it takes to become a trained and licensed paramedic varies from program to program. You can generally earn an associate degree in two years, but you can typically complete a certificate program in less time.
How much does paramedic school cost?
The cost of paramedic school depends on the program and how many classes it requires for completion, as well as the cost per credit hour.
You can typically attend paramedic school for between $1,000 and $20,000.
How to Choose the Right EMT or Paramedic School
Both the best paramedic programs and the best EMT programs have a few things in common. They both:
- Offer career placement services to eligible alumni
- Provide intensive hands-on learning opportunities
- Clear, easy to understand classroom instruction
- Have instructors with a long history of providing EMT/ Paramedic care
Other Ways to Become a Paramedic/EMT
It's necessary that you undergo the proper training at EMT school or paramedic school before working in the field. Because the services are so vital to each community, you cannot simply walk in and take a test somewhere. You can only take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians or Paramedics Exam after completing the proper coursework and training.
You can also continue your education, earning a bachelor's or master's degree to increase your salary and job opportunities.
How to Pay for Paramedic School
Paramedic and EMT Scholarships
Bound Tree Medical Legacy Scholarship Program
- Applicants must be the son or daughter of an EMT or firefighter
- Covers up to 50% of tuition: up to $500 for EMT training and up to $2,500 for intermediate and paramedic training
- May 28 application deadline
Michael J. Latta EMS Scholarship Foundation
- Must be an aspiring EMT or Paramedic
- Amount of tuition reimbursement varies on program and need
- December 15 deadline
- Available for both fall and spring semesters
NAEMT Scholarship Program
- Available to those wishing to become an EMT
- Covers up to $1,000 of the EMT program
- Application must be submitted between March 1 and April 30
- Winners receive a one-year NAEMT student membership
Virginia EMS Scholarship Program
- Must be a Virginia resident becoming an EMT or Paramedic
- Covers $862 to $4,743
- Application must be submitted 30 days into the program
- Scholarship amount is determined by the program the student is in
Paramedic and EMT Grants
Rural Emergency Medical Services Training Grant
- Must plan to work in a rural setting deemed to be in need of funding
- Amount of grant varies
- March 18 deadline
- Application can be submitted by local agencies
CREATE Education Grants— Colorado Resource for Emergency and Trauma Education
- Primarily intended for first-responder stations
- Amount of grant varies
- No deadline provided
- Money can be used for rescue equipment, data collection, and first response vehicles
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