English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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EMT-Paramedic vs Licensed Paramedic in Texas: what the degree changes
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
EMT-Paramedic vs Licensed Paramedic in Texas comes down to one thing: a degree. Both finish a paramedic course and the National Registry exam. A Licensed Paramedic also holds an associate degree in EMS or a bachelor's or higher in any field from a USDE-recognised accredited school, under 25 TAC 157.40.
The two credentials side by side
DSHS runs both credentials. The clinical training and exam are the same; the academic record is what differs.
| Point | EMT-Paramedic | Licensed Paramedic |
|---|---|---|
| Paramedic course and National Registry exam | Yes | Yes |
| College degree | Not needed | Associate in EMS, or bachelor's or higher in any field |
| Accreditation of the school | Not applicable | Accreditor recognised by the US Department of Education |
| DSHS fee | $96 | $126 |
| Proof sent | Course completion and exam | Also a college transcript showing the degree |
What the licence changes at work
The rule does not give a Licensed Paramedic a wider clinical scope than an EMT-Paramedic. The difference is the credential itself. Some services, fire departments and hospitals list licensure for supervisor, field training officer, educator or flight roles, or pay a step for it. Ask your employer's HR or your medical director what the licence changes where you work; the answer varies across Texas.
Some paramedics also find the degree opens doors outside the ambulance: community paramedicine programmes, EMS education, emergency management, public health and hospital administration often list a degree in their job postings. None of that is part of the DSHS rule, but it is part of why the degree is worth planning carefully. Choose a subject you can use later, not only the quickest one, if the time difference is small.
Why the degree rule is wider than it looks
DSHS's wording is broad on purpose: an associate degree must be in EMS, but a bachelor's or higher can be in any field. So a paramedic with an old degree in history already meets the academic part, and a paramedic without one can choose a degree for its fit with shift work and future plans rather than its subject.
- Associate degree: must be in EMS
- Bachelor's degree: any field
- Post-graduate degree: any field
- Every route: a USDE-recognised accreditor
How to move from EMT-P to Licensed Paramedic
Finish a qualifying degree, then apply to DSHS for Paramedic Licensure, send the college transcript and pay the fee. If you trained at a community college, ask for a degree audit for its EMS associate degree first. If not, compare bachelor's degree-completion colleges and ask each for a written evaluation of your credits, including your paramedic training.
Where outside credit fits
General education is the part most paramedics are missing. UPI Study courses in English, statistics, psychology, sociology and philosophy carry ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit and are online and self-paced. They count only when the degree-granting college reviews them and lists them via a college transcript, so ask the college first and keep its answer in writing.
Questions worth sending the college before you enrol: which general education requirements are still open on my record; will you review ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit for them; is there a limit on outside credit; do you count paramedic training, and how; and what will the remaining degree cost. A written reply to those five questions turns a vague goal into a plan you can follow between shifts.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the college that will grant your degree in writing which of these courses it will count, and check its accreditor on its own page, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Is a Licensed Paramedic higher than an EMT-Paramedic in Texas?
It is a separate credential with the same paramedic training plus a degree. DSHS does not give it a wider clinical scope in the rule. Employers may value it for leadership or teaching roles; ask yours what it changes.
Does an old degree in another subject count for paramedic licensure?
Yes, if it is a bachelor's or higher and the school was accredited by an agency the US Department of Education recognises. DSHS asks for a college transcript that shows the degree.
How much does Texas paramedic licensure cost?
DSHS lists $126 for the Licensed Paramedic application and $96 for EMT-P, checked 15 Nov 2026. The cost of the degree itself depends on the college; outside credit can lower it if the college counts it.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Principles of Statistics
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
General education courses you can take between shifts.
Sources
- DSHS: EMS Reciprocity Certification (official)Licensure needs an Associate's Degree in EMS, a Bachelor's or higher degree in any field, or a post graduate degree, from a school accredited by an agency the US Department of Education recognises; a college transcript is submitted; EMT-Paramedic needs no degree. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- DSHS: Initial Certification-Licensure (official)Paramedic Licensure is for those with a two-year EMS degree or a four-year degree in any field; EMT-Paramedic is for those who finished a paramedic course without a degree; fees $126 (Licensed Paramedic) and $96 (EMT-P). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- DSHS: EMS Rules and Laws (official)Lists Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 157.40, Paramedic Licensure, as the governing rule. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.