The average salary for a Paramedic in Riverside is 67,519 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 5,627 $ gross per month and 32.46 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 42,500 $ to 104,500 $. The analysis is based on 28 salary reports from workers and employers in Riverside. Part-time salaries are proportionally converted to 40 weekly hours so the values are comparable.
| Date | Job title | Weekly hours | Reported gross/year | Normalized to 40h/year | Gross/month 40h | Gross/hour 40h | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/11/2026 | Paramedic Quality Manager | 40.0 h | 104,500 $ | 104,500 $ | 8,708 $ | 50.24 $ | I manage quality assurance and training for an EMS provider. Although I no longer run regular shifts, I'm full-time (40 hours) overseeing performance metrics; the salary reflects a managerial role. |
| 03/02/2026 | Mobile Care Paramedic | 40.0 h | 84,500 $ | 84,500 $ | 7,042 $ | 40.63 $ | I provide mobile urgent-care style services as a full-time paramedic. I work 40 hours per week and handle higher-acuity non-transport cases; salary reflects increased demand and recent market rates. |
| 01/14/2026 | Owner / Contract Paramedic | 30.0 h | 72,000 $ | 96,000 $ | 8,000 $ | 46.15 $ | I run a small contract paramedic service and work an average of 30 hours per week in the field plus business admin. The reported salary is what I paid myself as my gross annual income. |
| 11/25/2025 | Paramedic Supervisor - County | 44.0 h | 98,000 $ | 89,091 $ | 7,424 $ | 42.83 $ | I supervise multiple crews for the county EMS program and handle budgeting and staffing. My schedule averages about 44 hours per week because of meetings and oversight duties; this is my gross salary. |
| 07/08/2025 | EMS Coordinator | 40.0 h | 90,500 $ | 90,500 $ | 7,542 $ | 43.51 $ | I work as an EMS coordinator overseeing scheduling, dispatch coordination, and interagency relations. It's a full-time 40-hour role and I have prior field experience; salary is my gross annual earnings. |
| 02/19/2025 | Paramedic Team Lead | 42.0 h | 84,800 $ | 80,762 $ | 6,730 $ | 38.83 $ | I lead a team in a high-volume private ambulance company. My role includes oversight, training, and some administrative tasks. I average 42 hours per week and this is my gross yearly pay. |
| 10/31/2024 | Clinical Outreach Paramedic | 40.0 h | 76,200 $ | 76,200 $ | 6,350 $ | 36.63 $ | I work full-time in clinical outreach focusing on chronic care patients. I have a leadership role in program development and worked 40 hours per week; the reported salary is my annual gross. |
| 05/09/2024 | Paramedic - Fire Battalion | 45.0 h | 81,500 $ | 72,444 $ | 6,037 $ | 34.83 $ | I'm assigned to a fire battalion as a paramedic and act as the shift lead. My duties include incident command support and scheduling, and I average 45 hours a week; this is my gross salary. |
| 01/22/2024 | Emergency Response Paramedic | 38.5 h | 70,500 $ | 73,247 $ | 6,104 $ | 35.21 $ | I handle emergency response for a regional ambulance service and average 38.5 hours weekly. With eight years experience and additional certifications, this is my actual annual pay. |
| 08/14/2023 | Senior EMS Clinician | 40.0 h | 73,200 $ | 73,200 $ | 6,100 $ | 35.19 $ | I work as a senior EMS clinician in a hospital-run transport program. I manage clinical protocols and mentor junior staff while working 40 hours per week; salary reflects that combined role. |
| 03/30/2023 | Private Contractor Paramedic | 40.0 h | 67,400 $ | 67,400 $ | 5,617 $ | 32.40 $ | I'm an independent contractor providing paramedic coverage for events and private ambulance shifts; this year I averaged a 40-hour equivalent and the reported figure is my gross earnings. |
| 11/05/2022 | Per Diem Senior Paramedic | 20.0 h | 41,200 $ | 82,400 $ | 6,867 $ | 39.62 $ | I'm a senior paramedic working per diem nights averaging 20 hours per week as supplemental income. I have over seven years experience; the salary is the total I made for those hours. |
| 07/18/2022 | Paramedic Supervisor | 44.0 h | 72,500 $ | 65,909 $ | 5,492 $ | 31.69 $ | I am a paramedic supervisor for a county EMS division. My role involves administrative work and shift coverage, and I average about 44 hours a week. This is my annual gross salary. |
| 02/06/2022 | Lead Paramedic | 40.0 h | 63,500 $ | 63,500 $ | 5,292 $ | 30.53 $ | I was promoted to lead paramedic overseeing a small team of clinicians. I work 40 hours per week and handle scheduling and quality review in addition to field duties; salary reflects those responsibilities. |
| 09/29/2021 | Mobile Integrated Health Paramedic | 40.0 h | 58,500 $ | 58,500 $ | 4,875 $ | 28.13 $ | I work in mobile integrated health doing community follow-ups and non-emergent care. I'm full-time at 40 hours a week with five years experience; this is what I earned last year. |
| 04/11/2021 | Paramedic Instructor | 38.0 h | 52,500 $ | 55,263 $ | 4,605 $ | 26.57 $ | I teach paramedic certification courses while also doing occasional clinical shifts. I consider this full-time and average roughly 38 hours per week; the salary is my annual gross income. |
| 10/07/2020 | Clinical Paramedic | 40.0 h | 49,200 $ | 49,200 $ | 4,100 $ | 23.65 $ | I work full-time in a hospital outreach program as a clinical paramedic. My role includes some non-transport patient care and training; I worked 40 hours per week and this was my gross pay. |
| 03/22/2020 | Relief Paramedic | 34.0 h | 47,000 $ | 55,294 $ | 4,608 $ | 26.58 $ | I'm a relief paramedic working flexible schedules, averaging about 34 hours weekly. I've been on the job four years and the reported salary is what I actually earned that year. |
| 12/02/2019 | Paramedic - Fire Services | 42.0 h | 59,800 $ | 56,952 $ | 4,746 $ | 27.38 $ | I serve as a paramedic assigned to a fire-based EMS unit in a supervisory role. I average 42 hours a week due to overlap and occasional admin responsibilities; this is my gross annual pay. |
| 06/15/2019 | Senior Paramedic | 40.0 h | 51,500 $ | 51,500 $ | 4,292 $ | 24.76 $ | I'm a senior paramedic with six years of experience working shifts for a hospital-based EMS team. I work a 40-hour full-time schedule and I supervise training of new hires informally. |
| 03/13/2019 | Paramedic (Night Shift) | 38.0 h | 57,800 $ | 60,842 $ | 5,070 $ | 29.25 $ | I'm a night-shift paramedic working a permanent schedule that averages 38 hours per week. I've been in this role for four years; the salary is what I actually received that year. |
| 08/04/2018 | Private Ambulance Paramedic | 40.0 h | 44,600 $ | 44,600 $ | 3,717 $ | 21.44 $ | I work full-time for a private ambulance contractor. I have three years of field experience and work 40 hours a week; salary reflects my base earnings without occasional overtime. |
| 05/21/2018 | Advanced Life Support Paramedic | 40.0 h | 55,200 $ | 55,200 $ | 4,600 $ | 26.54 $ | I work full-time on an ALS ambulance crew. I have five years of experience and complete continuing education regularly. I worked 40 hours per week and this was my yearly gross pay. |
| 02/12/2018 | Per Diem Paramedic | 18.0 h | 24,800 $ | 55,111 $ | 4,593 $ | 26.50 $ | I'm a per diem paramedic who picks up weekend shifts only, averaging 18 hours per week; this is my actual annual gross pay for the hours I worked that year. |
| 09/27/2017 | Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic | 36.0 h | 41,200 $ | 45,778 $ | 3,815 $ | 22.01 $ | I work full-time on 12-hour shift rotation that averages 36 hours per week. I'm an early-career paramedic and this was my annual gross income in the reporting year. |
| 05/18/2017 | Field Paramedic | 40.0 h | 42,500 $ | 42,500 $ | 3,542 $ | 20.43 $ | I was hired as an entry-level field paramedic for a municipal EMS contract. I've been here two years and work a standard 40-hour full-time schedule; this is what I earned that year. |
| 11/03/2016 | Paramedic | 32.0 h | 38,500 $ | 48,125 $ | 4,010 $ | 23.14 $ | I'm a part-time paramedic who started in 2015 and have been working relief shifts at private ambulance services. I regularly pick up 32 hours a week and this is my actual annual gross pay for those hours. |
| 08/29/2016 | Per Diem Critical Care Paramedic | 16.0 h | 36,800 $ | 92,000 $ | 7,667 $ | 44.23 $ | I'm a per diem critical care paramedic who picks up night and weekend ICU transfers averaging 16 hours a week. The salary shown is my actual annual gross earnings from those shifts. |
Riverside sits at the center of the Inland Empire, one of California’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas. That growth, along with heavy commuter traffic and a mix of urban and desert terrain, shapes a steady and often rising need for emergency medical services. For paramedics in Riverside, California, the local market typically offers a range of roles across fire-based EMS, 9-1-1 ambulance operations, hospital-based positions, and specialty transport.
Paramedic practice in Riverside County is coordinated under the Riverside County Emergency Medical Services Agency (REMSA), which establishes protocols and accreditation for advanced life support providers. Within the City of Riverside and surrounding communities, first-response is commonly delivered by fire departments, while many 9-1-1 transports are provided by contracted ambulance operators. This system creates ongoing opportunities for experienced field clinicians as well as newly licensed paramedics who are ready to work in high-call-volume environments.
The Inland Empire’s large population and economic profile drive consistent EMS demand. Regional freeways such as SR-91, I-215, SR-60, and I-10 see significant commuter and freight traffic, which can contribute to collision-related calls. Seasonal heat waves, wildfire incidents in foothill areas, and air quality challenges also influence medical call patterns, particularly for respiratory and heat-related emergencies. In addition, the county’s mix of suburban neighborhoods, university settings, and retirement communities means paramedics encounter a broad spectrum of medical and trauma cases.
Employers in Riverside often recruit year-round to address growth, retirements, and normal turnover in a 24/7 system. Many agencies emphasize adaptability, strong clinical judgment, and customer service skills, given the diverse communities served. Bilingual ability, especially Spanish, is frequently valued. Paramedics generally need a current California paramedic license, county accreditation through REMSA, and credentials such as ACLS, PALS, and BLS; some roles prefer or require ITLS/PHTLS, CE hours, and a clean driving record. Fire-based roles typically add physical ability tests, fire academy training, and additional certifications.
Riverside and the surrounding area include a mix of public and private organizations that regularly hire paramedics:
Because the Riverside labor market is interconnected with neighboring San Bernardino County, paramedics also find opportunities with regional systems and hospitals just outside city limits, expanding potential career pathways while still serving Riverside residents.
Career paths for paramedics in Riverside typically begin in 9-1-1 ambulance operations or as firefighter-paramedics, then progress into roles such as field training officer, critical care transport paramedic, clinical educator, or operations supervisor. Hospitals may hire paramedics into emergency department technician roles, patient transport, or specialty transport teams, which can broaden clinical exposure and open doors to leadership or education tracks.
California’s continued exploration of community paramedicine and mobile integrated healthcare can create additional avenues in certain systems, such as post-discharge follow-ups, chronic disease support, or alternate destination programs where authorized. Regionally, large-scale events in Riverside County and the Coachella Valley can generate special event coverage needs, offering overtime or temporary assignments for experienced crews. Wildfire seasons may also lead to deployments supporting incident medical operations, especially for fire-based paramedics with relevant training.
Local education pipelines support continuous talent development. Riverside City College offers EMS training, including paramedic coursework, and nearby colleges in the Inland Empire provide EMT-to-paramedic pathways and continuing education. Many employers collaborate with local programs for clinical and field internships, which can ease the transition from classroom to full-time field roles.
Overall, the job outlook for paramedics in Riverside is generally positive. The combination of population growth, regional transportation corridors, seasonal hazards, and a busy network of hospitals sustains demand for skilled clinicians. Candidates who maintain strong clinical skills, remain flexible with shift work, and pursue additional certifications or specialties often find multiple ways to advance within Riverside’s diverse EMS system.
The average salary for a Paramedic in Riverside is 67,519 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 5,627 $ gross per month.
Part-time and full-time reports are normalized to a 40-hour workweek so salary reports can be compared fairly.
You can find more comparisons on the profession overview for Paramedic and the city overview for Riverside. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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