EMT Training and Certification Cost

• University programs charge about $800 -$1,000 for basic EMT training that lasts from one month to three months, depending on whether students attend fulltime or part time The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, for example, offers a 138-hour training program for EMTs that costs $850. UCLA provides training through its Center for Prehospital Care for $925 for a 20-day fulltime program that can also be completed part-time and at night over three months.
• Community college programs can charge anywhere from $200 -$1,000 for basic EMT training, although tuition may be substantially more for out-of-state students. Basic EMT training at South Louisiana Community College, for example, is $258 for state residents, plus student fees of $52. At other community colleges, such as Tacoma Community College in Washington, training costs are about $1,000, comparable to universities.
• Costs at technical schools vary significantly by program, but can be $750 -$1,800 or more. Human Services Training Program, one of the state-recommended EMT training programs for people seeking EMT work in Massachusetts, charges $760 for a three-month program that can be completed at night and on weekends. The San Francisco Paramedic Association offers a one-month fulltime program for $1,825.
• Many states require national certification, which is available for EMTs through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. These NREMT exams cost $70.

• EMTs can work for private ambulance services, hospital-affiliated ambulance services, or with firefighters. Basic training includes instruction in assessing patients, and managing respiratory, trauma, and cardiac emergencies. It also instructs students on handling typical emergency calls, such as emergency childbirth, cardiac arrest and fractures.
• Most programs require on-the-job training, such as ambulance ride-alongs and hospital observation, in addition to classroom work.
• Most EMT programs also offer intermediate training, teaching students more advanced skills, such as IV insertion and use of advanced airway devices. Intermediate training is the next step to becoming an advanced EMT, or paramedic, and is typically completed after basic EMTs have some on-the-job experience.

• Books may be included in tuition fees, or may cost about $100 extra, depending on the program.
• Recertification is periodically required, typically every two years.
• Health testing (for diseases such as TB) and vaccinations (for diseases such as for hepatitis B) may be required before entering an EMT program. TB tests are easily obtained and inexpensive (usually less than $20). Vaccines, such as the Hepatitis B vaccine, can cost up to $50 a dose, according to the CDC.
• Some programs require students to obtain basic certificates, such as CPR, before they begin EMT training. The cost of classes offered by the American Heart Association and the Red Cross varies by location, but it's typically under $100.

• Employers may pay for required recertification and continuing education programs for EMTs.
• Completing the intermediate-level training programs often result in better pay and more job opportunities for EMTs, according to the federal government's Occupational Outlook Handbook.
• Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom may be eligible for tuition reimbursement for EMT training and certification through Swords to Ploughshares.

• Many states, such as Massachusetts list schools with accredited EMT training programs. The Journal of Emergency Medical Services also complies a state-by-state list of accredited programs, updated annually.
• State license boards may require that EMT training programs be accredited. Attending a school that is not accredited may result in denial of a license, whether or not the certification exam is taken and passed, so it is important to check the requirements of individual states before beginning an EMT training program.

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