I have been an EMT for YEARS and I get paid less than CNA's... That is why I am in Nursing School. I have worked in the worst conditions ie: 120 degree heat traffic collisions on the HWY, raining & snowing... I got paid less than 14.00/hr for the last 10 years... why because that is the going rate for the dime a dozen EMT's out there. It only took me 6 months to get certified, no prereq's required...