Welcome to the JEMS 2015 Salary Survey. We’re excited to present this year’s survey results and announce a new partnership between JEMS and EMS Survey Team for the data collection, analysis and processing of this important industry tool. In past surveys, the collectors of the data were also the ones analyzing and summarizing its findings. We developed a revised survey tool, sampling approach and methodology in an effort to achieve a new level of industry engagement and improved accuracy. Additionally, JEMS recruited two new authors involved in EMS system operations and with extensive industry backgrounds and experience to help analyze and summarize the findings.
These efforts yielded the highest engagement rate in the history of the survey, with an overall survey response improvement of 245% (n = 1,266) and a salary survey response improvement of 148% (n = 2,186) over the previous year. Everyone involved in this project wishes to thank all participants for their time and effort in completing the survey; these efforts have given us the ability to benchmark and compare important pragmatic variables at a much higher rate of accuracy. We hope respondents found it easier, more streamlined and less time consuming to participate than previous years.
EMS Survey Team automates collection, analysis, reporting and benchmarking of patient experience survey data for EMS agencies. Monthly and quarterly reports help EMS leaders improve care with individual call analysis, performance metrics by medic, scoring office staff interactions, benchmarking to support funding requests and maintain/expand relationships with governing bodies. For more information, call 877-583-3100 or visit EMSSurveyTeam.com.
As in years past, surveys were performed anonymously and independently. Respondent groups with a response rate of n < 5 were excluded, and the data sampled was for the 2014 calendar year. Additionally, extreme outliers were excluded from the data and our experts from EMS Survey Team advise that any grouping reported with an n < 30 should be considered questionable from a statistical standpoint. Please note that groupings with an n > 5 and < 30 are still reported for informational purposes only. (See Table 1 and Figure 3, below.) Tables and figures authored by Marissa Schripsema of the EMS Survey Team.
To view the tables and figures as a slideshow, click here.
NATIONAL OVERVIEW
Response demographic variables, including things like provider types, level of care provided, personal protection and safety equipment available, response volumes, regional distributions, etc., can be found on JEMS.com/surveys. Our national overview focuses on the important takeaways from our analysis of the survey results.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
From a national perspective, the survey results show an overall increase in provider base wages, and a decrease in administrative wages when compared to the 2014 survey. (See highlighted national data in Table 4, below.) Due to the significant difference in respondents for 2015, it’s hard to identify if these changes are due to a lower sampling error rate or another industry trend. We’re also seeing a significant swing in the wage distributions than has been reported in our previous surveys.
Benefits weren’t reported in the 2014 survey, but are an important part of overall compensation. At least 50% of respondents provide either employer-paid or partially employer- paid benefits. For more details, see Table 2.
One concerning benefit trend is that nine out of 10 regions reported reduced EMS tuition reimbursement and eight out of 10 reported a reduction in college tuition reimbursement. For an industry constantly struggling with staffing challenges, it appears we’re headed in the wrong direction if we desire to address or reverse this. The remaining benefit categories fell far below the majority.
If you’re experiencing staffing and recruitment challenges, you may want to consider differentiating yourself from your competitors by providing for some of the less common but valuable benefits such as those seen in the minority in Table 2.
PRIVATE VS. PUBLIC WAGES
Although it’s generally believed wages for EMT-Bs and EMT-Ps from a private employer are much higher than those from public employers, our survey found this isn’t accurate. (See Table 3, below.) On average, an EMT-B makes $13,548 more per year when working for a municipal agency instead of a private one, with a range of $6,088 (Region VI) to $25,615 (Region X).
Public EMT-P employees make $9,225 more per year than their privately employed counterparts, with a range of $733 (Region IV) to $18,094 (Region X). The average EMT-P also receives approximately 17% higher wages than an EMT-B in the public sector and over 30% more in the private sector.
ALARMING TRENDS
The most important findings in this year’s data are associated with agency financial health (or lack thereof ), human resource practices and leadership trends.
Financially, 75% of respondents reported they’ve had to make some financial cuts to their operations, with 29% of those reporting cuts to overtime, 18% reporting delaying cost of living increases and 15% reporting that they delayed performance and merit increases. Luckily, drastic cuts such as lay-offs, furloughs, pay cuts or regular hour reductions were on the low end of reported activities. (See Figure 1.)
Human resource trends were also alarming, with respondents estimating that 74% of their staff had a second job.
Only 51% of responding EMS agencies conduct routine employee exit interviews, and a substantial number (46%) reported their EMS agency has seen an increase in employee separations within the past year. (See Figure 2.)
Leadership trends were headline-grabbing too, with 65% of EMS agencies reporting they don’t have a succession plan for key management positions, 73% don’t conduct regular employee satisfaction surveys and 76% don’t conduct regular employee focus groups–and we sit and scratch our heads and wonder why we can’t attract talent and labor to this industry. (See Figure 2.)
REGIONAL BREAKDOWN
Regional variances can be caused by many factors, including cost of living; evolution of the EMS systems; and simple supply and demand–the number of jobs and the corresponding number of certified personnel available to fill job openings
Understanding these differences is important when comparing results from one region to another. Our redesigned survey will allow us to identify annual increases or decreases within a region beginning next year. Identifying these trends are important and will help providers determine where they might want to begin their careers and where they might want to migrate before making a move into management roles.
This year, we provide a baseline summary of key data, including where each region places in reference to each other for each position’s average salary as well as obvious findings associated with these rankings. (See below.)
REGIONAL COMPARISONS
REGION I
Demographics
- 5.7% (72) of respondents
- 50% governmental and 50% nongovernmental agencies
- 29% BLS providers and 71% ALS providers
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $38,359.54; 4th
- EMT-P: $47,336.45; 5th
- Education coordinator: N/A due to lack of respondents
- Operations manager: $60,161.72; 9th
- Executive director: $90,094.12; 5th
- Administrative directors: N/A
Benefits reduced: Long-term disability, vision, ems tuition, college tuition, uniform allowance and paid time off.
REGION II
Demographics
- 9.95% (130) of respondents
- 29% governmental and 71% nongovernmental agencies
- 34% BLS providers, 64% ALS providers and 2% specialty care transport (SCT)
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $34,928.36; 8th
- EMT-P: $47,788.83; 7th
- Education coordinator: $54,464.84, 6th
- Operations manager: $67,736.36, 5th
- Executive director: $73,531.68; 8th
- Administrative directors: $90,156.43; 2nd
Benefits reduced: major medical, major medical– family, short-term disability, long-term disability, EMS tuition and uniform allowance
REGION III
Demographics
- 15.95% (199) of respondents
- 40% governmental and 60% nongovernmental agencies
- 21% BLS providers, 76% ALS providers and 3% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $36,672.59; 6th
- EMT-P: $47,995.75; 6th
- Education coordinator: $53,078.75; 7th
- Operations manager: $64,748.80; 7th
- Executive director: $85,335.77; 3rd
- Administrative directors: $75,724.39; 3rd
Benefits reduced: life insurance, major medical–individual, major medical–family, short-term disability, long-term disability, employee assistance program, dental, optical/ vision, liability insurance, EMS tuition reimbursement, college tuition reimbursement, scholarship fund for employee’s children, retirement or pension plan, profit sharing, stock purchase program, shift differential pay, uniform allowance, health club membership reimbursement, paid time off with combined benefit leave, daycare reimbursement, dry cleaning of uniforms and meal services.
REGION IV
Demographics
- 15.64% (195) of respondents
- 63% governmental and 37% nongovernmental agencies
- 13% BLS providers, 82% ALS providers and 5% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $33,604.66; 10th
- EMT-P: $41,865.23; 10th
- Education coordinator: $52,231.32; 8th
- Operations manager: $66,225.50; 6th
- Executive director: $75,160.35; 7th
- Administrative directors: $73,532.50; 4th
Benefits reduced: life insurance, major medical–family, long-term disability, employee assistance program, dental, optical/ vision, EMS tuition reimbursement, college tuition reimbursement, scholarship fund for employee’s children, profit sharing, stock purchase program, shift differential pay, uniform allowance, health club membership reimbursement, paid time off combined benefit leave, daycare reimbursement and dry cleaning of uniforms.
REGION V
Demographics
- 18.4% (236) of respondents
- 64% governmental and 36% nongovernmental agencies
- 21% BLS providers, 75% ALS providers and 4% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $38,359.54; 5th
- EMT-P: $47,336.45; 8th
- Education coordinator: $51,079.60; 9th
- Operations manager: $60,161.72; 10th
- Executive director: $90,094.12; 2nd
- Administrative directors: $70,800.27; 5th
Benefits reduced: major medical–individual, employee assistance program, dental, optical/vision, EMS tuition reimbursement, college tuition reimbursement, scholarship fund for employee’s children, stock purchase program, shift differential pay, uniform allowance, health club membership reimbursement, paid time off combined benefit leave, daycare reimbursement and dry cleaning of uniforms.
REGION VI
Demographics
- 9.24% (117) of respondents
- 49% governmental and 51% nongovernmental agencies
- 10% BLS providers, 84% ALS providers and 6% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $35,103.04; 7th
- EMT-P: $50,220.17; 4th
- Education coordinator: $62,391.32; 3rd
- Operations manager: $74,958.93; 2nd
- Executive director: $66,259.95; 9th
- Administrative directors: $97,762.42; 1st
Benefits reduced: major medical– employee, paid time off combined benefit leave and daycare reimbursement.
REGION VII
Demographics
- 8.05% (102) of respondents
- 65% governmental and 35% nongovernmental agencies
- 23% BLS providers, 76% ALS providers and 1% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $34,573.09; 9th
- EMT-P: $44,000.67; 9th
- Education coordinator: $59,382.07; 4th
- Operations manager: $61,609.51; 8th
- Executive director: $61,609.51; 8th
- Administrative directors: $58,477.37; 7th
Benefits reduced: dental, EMS tuition reimbursement, college tuition reimbursement, retirement or pension and paid time off combined benefit leave.
REGION VIII
Demographics
- 6.95% (88) of respondents
- 52% governmental and 48% nongovernmental agencies
- 29% BLS providers, 68% ALS providers and 3% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $40,865.60; 3rd
- EMT-P: $50,419.23; 3rd
- Education coordinator: $58,779.79; 5th
- Operations manager: $69,817.76; 3rd
- Executive director: $80,279.47; 4th
- Administrative directors: $65,847.73; 6th
Benefits reduced: EMS tuition reimbursement, college tuition reimbursement, retirement or pension, and paid time off combined benefit leave.
REGION IX
Demographics
- 6.39% (81) of respondents
- 44% governmental and 56% nongovernmental agencies
- 26% BLS providers, 72% ALS providers and 2% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $48,216.68; 1st
- EMT-P: $58,682.43; 1st
- Education coordinator: $76,853.65; 1st
- Operations manager: $93,969.58; 1st
- Executive director: N/A
- Administrative directors: N/A
Benefits reduced: new employee relocation assistance, dental, optical/vision, EMS tuition reimbursement, college tuition reimbursement, scholarship fund for employee’s children, stock purchase program and health club membership reimbursements.
REGION X
Demographics
- 3.71% (47) of respondents
- 69% governmental and 31% nongovernmental agencies
- 26% BLS providers, 71% ALS providers and 3% SCT
Average salary & rankings
- EMT-B: $45,110.70; 2nd
- EMT-P: $58,144.21; 2nd
- Education coordinator: $62,666.67; 2nd
- Operations manager: $69,456.86; 4th
- Executive director: $133,344.89;1st
- Administrative directors: N/A
Benefits reduced: EMS tuition reimbursement, college tuition reimbursement and scholarship fund for employee’s children.