McLennan Community College Paramedic Program: Pass Rate, Jobs and Local Pay
An AAS or certificate program in Waco, Level 2 certificate 16 months; AAS 2 years. 100% of its graduates passed the NREMT paramedic exam over 2025 CoAEMSP report.
We are still collecting data for this program. This page will be listed in search once it has published outcomes and a cost or program details.
The Short Version
- Its NREMT exam rate (100%) is above the Texas program median of 87.0%.
- 100% of graduates looking for work in the field found a job, by CoAEMSP's measure.
- 77.8% of students stayed in the program, by CoAEMSP's retention measure.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How Graduates Do
CoAEMSP requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 3
Graduates who passed the National Registry (NREMT) paramedic cognitive exam, as the program reports it to CoAEMSP. Some programs report first-attempt results and some report passing within three attempts; each page says which when the program does. Job placement: graduates employed in EMS or a related field, or in the military or further education ("positive placement"), as the program reports it to CoAEMSP.
What It Costs
McLennan Community College does not publish a total cost for this program. No paramedic program total or itemized cost list found on the program's own pages Ask the program for its cost sheet; contact details are on its page.
For comparison only, not this program's price: the 11 Texas paramedic programs that publish a cost range from $2,442 to $9,641, with a median of $4,828.
Jobs and Pay in the Waco Area
About 60 paramedics work in the Waco area. The middle half earn between $52,160 and $61,260 a year; new graduates usually start toward the lower end. Texas expects about 580 openings a year statewide through 2034, from new positions, retirements and people changing jobs, with the number of jobs growing 21.7% (from 8,530 to 10,370).
Other Paramedic Programs in the Waco Area
Compare all 2 paramedic programs in the Waco area
| Program | NREMT exam rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLennan Community College (this page) AAS or certificate, Waco | 100% | 100% | Not published |
| Hill College AAS or certificate, Hillsboro | Not reported | Not reported | $4,171 to $7,528 |
After You Graduate: Getting to Work in Texas
Texas requires EMS certification from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and you must pass the National Registry (NREMT) paramedic exam to be eligible. Course completers get EMT-Paramedic certification; those who also hold a two-year EMS degree or any four-year degree can get Paramedic Licensure instead.
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Finish a DSHS-approved paramedic course, then apply to NREMT and pass the Paramedic Certification Examination.6 | $175 |
| Apply online to DSHS for initial EMT-Paramedic certification, entering your NREMT number and DSHS course approval number.7 | $96 |
| Alternative: if you hold a two-year EMS degree or a four-year degree, apply for Paramedic Licensure instead of EMT-P certification.8 | $126not counted |
| Get fingerprinted through IdentoGO using the DSHS service code from your application.9 | Not published |
Typical fees to start working: $271. Counts the NREMT paramedic exam ($175) and the DSHS EMT-Paramedic certification fee ($96). Degree holders who choose Paramedic Licensure pay $126 instead of $96, and the IdentoGO fingerprint fee is extra. Texas EMS certification runs on a four-year cycle; renewal requires a Texas EMS jurisprudence course plus continuing education, a 96-hour recertification course, current NREMT certification, or passing the NREMT assessment exam (EMT-P renewal fee $96 if filed within 12 months before expiration), and NREMT itself must be renewed every two years. Full guide: how to become a paramedic in Texas
Program Facts
- Credential
- AAS or certificate
- Length
- Level 2 certificate 16 months; AAS 2 years
- Accreditation
- CoAEMSP, Accredited (CAAHEP, on CoAEMSP recommendation)
- Leads to
- NREMT paramedic certification exams (cognitive and psychomotor) and Texas DSHS certification
Sources and Dates
- McLennan Community College program outcomes page, Program page cites the 2025 CoAEMSP annual report.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Paramedics (29-2043), May 2025 estimates.
- Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (programs accredited by CAAHEP) (CoAEMSP), checked Nov. 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Texas and metro areas (employment and wage percentiles), May 2025 estimates.
- Texas Workforce Commission, long-term occupational projections, 2024 to 2034.
- NREMT Paramedic Candidate Handbook: Certification Process, checked Nov 2026.
- Texas DSHS EMS Application Fees, No effective date on page; checked Nov 2026.
- Texas DSHS EMS Application Fees, No effective date on page; checked Nov 2026.
- Texas DSHS EMS Initial Certification-Licensure, checked Nov 2026.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or CoAEMSP. Our independence policy