Side-by-side license comparison
| Metric | EMT / Paramedic | Security Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Public Safety | Public Safety |
| Median Salary | $42,470 | $36,970 |
| Avg Initial Fee | $100 | $74 |
| Difficulty | Medium | Low |
| Education | EMT: 120-150 hours / Paramedic: 1200 hours | Guard Training (8-40 hours) |
| Exam | NREMT Exam | State Guard Card Exam |
| Time to License | 3-18 months | 1-2 weeks |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 yr | Every 2 yr |
| CE Hours / Cycle | 40 hrs | 8 hrs |
| States Requiring | 53 of 53 | 35 of 53 |
EMT / Paramedic earns $5,500 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $55,000 in additional earnings.
The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.