SOC 2255 Health professionals

Paramedics Salary

Median salary £50,294 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £50,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For paramedics, £53,818 is the typical (median) pay. That is well above the UK full-time median of £39,039 — +38% versus the national average. Experienced paramedics (top 25%) earn over £58,546.

About this role

Paramedics provide emergency and urgent pre-hospital clinical care, responding to 999 calls and urgent referrals. They assess patients, deliver life-saving interventions, make autonomous clinical decisions and determine the most appropriate care pathway.

Key responsibilities

Responding to emergency and urgent calls as part of ambulance crews
Assessing patients using clinical examination and diagnostic tools
Delivering emergency treatments including drug administration and airway management
Making autonomous decisions about patient conveyance and referral
Maintaining clinical records and handover information

Qualifications and entry routes

Requires a BSc in Paramedic Science approved by the HCPC, plus HCPC registration. Advanced and specialist roles require postgraduate qualifications. Driving qualifications including emergency response driving are required.

Career outlook

Strong demand with ambulance service workforce challenges. Expanding career pathways into advanced practice, primary care, urgent treatment centres and specialist roles.

Key skills

Emergency clinical assessment Autonomous decision-making Drug administration Trauma management Communication under pressure

Common industries

NHS ambulance trusts
Air ambulance services
Private ambulance services
Primary care
Event medical services

Data coverage

SOC code 2255

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 40,000

Median Salary

£50,294

Mean Salary

£49,145

Jobs (000s)

40k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £39,111Median: £50,294P75: £58,546

P10: £29kP25: £39kMedian: £50kP75: £59kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£28,929

0-2 years

Mid Level

£39,111

3-7 years

Senior

£58,546

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +102% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +39.0%Real growth: +0.7%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 14.6%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£50,294

Full-time Only

£53,818

Full-time premium: +£3,524

Paramedics salary: common questions

How much do paramedics earn in the UK?

Paramedics earn a median of £53,818 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £39,111 and £58,546.

Is £53,818 a good salary in the UK?

For paramedics, £53,818 is the typical (median) pay. That is well above the UK full-time median of £39,039 — +38% versus the national average. Experienced paramedics (top 25%) earn over £58,546.

What is the starting salary for paramedics?

Entry-level paramedics typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £39,111, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £28,929.

Have paramedics salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median paramedics pay has risen from £36,968 to £53,818 — +46% in cash terms, or +5.0% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for paramedics?

Male paramedics earn a median £53,954 and female paramedics £46,085 — a gap of +15% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).