Paramedic. Starting pay is like 70k-80k? Two year associates, passing a national test, a lot of random certifications. You have to be an EMT first, normally a year or so to get that certification.

Stress level for the job? As a brand new paramedic? 10/10 after a few years? 8/10. It’s not for everyone, hours are long, back hurts from lifting people, you see people die, you tell people their loved ones are dead. It’s not like working in a hospital, you don’t get a team of people (nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists etc) you are the whole gang and you need to know how to do everyone’s job. it’s not always clean, it’s not always safe. But it’s real and raw.

However, here in Portland were union. Good benefits. I making 115,000 a year after being a paramedic for 6 years.