Public Safety Telecommunicator Salary
Public Safety Telecommunicators earn a median $53,040 a year nationally. Office and Administrative Support Occupations
U.S. median
$53,040
$25.50 per hour
Range
$37,320 – $79,830
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
102,500
across the U.S.
Public Safety Telecommunicator take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$44,798
per year · effective tax rate 15.5%
$3,733Monthly
$1,867Twice a month
$1,723Every 2 weeks
$21.54Hourly
- Federal income tax$4,185
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,288
- Medicare (1.45%)$769
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$44,798
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,320 | $17.94 | $32,167 |
| 25th percentile | $45,210 | $21.74 | $38,506 |
| Median (50th) | $53,040 | $25.50 | $44,798 |
| 75th percentile | $64,260 | $30.89 | $53,813 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,830 | $38.38 | $64,990 |
Best cities for public safety telecommunicators (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $104,910 | $75,743 | $65,515 | 1,110 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $80,180 | $65,237 | $58,701 | 1,040 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $79,610 | $60,627 | $56,836 | 680 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $81,160 | $59,654 | $56,587 | 470 |
| 5 | Riverside, CA | $77,260 | $59,209 | $55,626 | 920 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $62,490 | $51,455 | $53,897 | 690 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $78,950 | $60,232 | $53,833 | 710 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,370 | $61,081 | $53,784 | 2,140 |
| 9 | Cincinnati, OH | $62,260 | $51,276 | $53,765 | 650 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $61,790 | $51,828 | $52,850 | 590 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $59,440 | $49,088 | $52,264 | 1,060 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $69,220 | $54,343 | $51,843 | 900 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $68,620 | $54,793 | $51,798 | 750 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $62,130 | $50,149 | $51,733 | 490 |
| 15 | Rochester, NY | $63,030 | $50,018 | $51,546 | 440 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $66,980 | $52,780 | $50,948 | 2,730 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $60,450 | $50,752 | $50,643 | 710 |
| 18 | Hartford, CT | $63,570 | $51,323 | $49,951 | 690 |
| 19 | Pittsburgh, PA | $57,880 | $46,910 | $49,550 | 780 |
| 20 | St. Louis, MO | $56,250 | $45,670 | $48,030 | 1,110 |
| 21 | Dallas, TX | $58,280 | $49,008 | $47,539 | 1,870 |
| 22 | Phoenix, AZ | $59,710 | $48,873 | $47,304 | 1,000 |
| 23 | Baltimore, MD | $61,080 | $48,720 | $46,628 | 780 |
| 24 | Providence, RI | $57,400 | $46,765 | $45,951 | 590 |
| 25 | Kansas City, MO | $51,940 | $42,410 | $45,827 | 770 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $104,910
- Portland, OR — $81,160
- Los Angeles, CA — $80,370
- Seattle, WA — $80,180
- Sacramento, CA — $79,610
- San Diego, CA — $78,950
- Riverside, CA — $77,260
- Minneapolis, MN — $69,220
- Denver, CO — $68,620
- Chicago, IL — $66,980
- Hartford, CT — $63,570
- Rochester, NY — $63,030
- Boston, MA — $62,660
- Columbus, OH — $62,490
- Cincinnati, OH — $62,260
Public Safety Telecommunicator salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $80,120 | $60,931 | $49,350 – $108,650 | 8,520 |
| Washington | $78,850 | $64,301 | $56,920 – $96,130 | 1,980 |
| Oregon | $71,980 | $53,999 | $53,750 – $96,530 | 1,110 |
| Alaska | $66,660 | $55,725 | $47,340 – $103,020 | 390 |
| Minnesota | $66,550 | $52,646 | $54,400 – $84,960 | 1,460 |
| Colorado | $63,520 | $51,132 | $48,250 – $83,750 | 1,800 |
| Connecticut | $62,410 | $50,443 | $49,290 – $78,810 | 1,820 |
| Massachusetts | $61,720 | $48,906 | $48,470 – $79,470 | 2,790 |
| New York | $61,450 | $48,834 | $45,950 – $79,630 | 5,470 |
| Illinois | $61,260 | $48,515 | $38,920 – $94,970 | 4,350 |
| Nevada | $60,040 | $50,422 | $45,170 – $87,240 | 1,010 |
| Wisconsin | $60,000 | $48,531 | $46,430 – $74,970 | 1,820 |
| North Dakota | $59,940 | $50,342 | $47,790 – $63,180 | 270 |
| Vermont | $59,470 | $48,406 | $47,520 – $73,500 | 280 |
| New Jersey | $59,240 | $48,054 | $46,080 – $79,040 | 4,010 |
| District of Columbia | $59,080 | $47,257 | $44,480 – $67,540 | 60 |
| Maryland | $58,910 | $47,080 | $46,840 – $76,500 | 1,610 |
| Rhode Island | $58,310 | $47,462 | $47,880 – $68,730 | 370 |
| New Hampshire | $58,240 | $48,976 | $45,810 – $70,600 | 560 |
| Ohio | $58,100 | $48,048 | $38,490 – $69,980 | 4,550 |
| Maine | $57,250 | $45,498 | $44,800 – $74,280 | 730 |
| Hawaii | $57,020 | $45,192 | $44,350 – $65,380 | 170 |
| Iowa | $56,770 | $46,289 | $47,340 – $72,000 | 980 |
| Arizona | $56,600 | $46,452 | $46,950 – $77,890 | 1,790 |
| Utah | $54,120 | $44,196 | $47,070 – $75,890 | 880 |
| Michigan | $53,310 | $43,000 | $40,970 – $67,440 | 2,100 |
| Delaware | $53,140 | $42,606 | $47,150 – $82,610 | 260 |
| Idaho | $51,780 | $42,149 | $43,360 – $75,560 | 580 |
| Wyoming | $50,600 | $42,837 | $45,100 – $69,720 | 350 |
| Virginia | $50,490 | $40,660 | $37,840 – $73,770 | 3,050 |
| Nebraska | $50,270 | $41,164 | $39,670 – $65,320 | 750 |
| Florida | $50,170 | $42,492 | $37,060 – $77,820 | 6,090 |
| Texas | $50,040 | $42,387 | $37,950 – $64,190 | 7,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,890 | $40,735 | $39,350 – $64,370 | 3,620 |
| New Mexico | $49,060 | $40,457 | $38,240 – $62,000 | 640 |
| Indiana | $49,050 | $40,174 | $38,730 – $63,660 | 2,150 |
| South Dakota | $47,900 | $40,668 | $36,960 – $60,310 | 420 |
| Montana | $47,640 | $38,976 | $39,310 – $61,270 | 560 |
| Missouri | $46,990 | $38,665 | $35,810 – $62,100 | 2,750 |
| North Carolina | $46,550 | $38,234 | $38,080 – $59,770 | 3,730 |
| Tennessee | $46,390 | $39,454 | $33,840 – $66,180 | 1,840 |
| Kentucky | $45,670 | $37,395 | $29,770 – $59,060 | 1,350 |
| Kansas | $45,110 | $36,708 | $34,930 – $58,960 | 1,370 |
| South Carolina | $43,540 | $35,709 | $34,520 – $56,930 | 1,490 |
| Georgia | $42,790 | $34,964 | $31,820 – $59,760 | 3,480 |
| West Virginia | $40,490 | $33,598 | $30,060 – $52,940 | 880 |
| Oklahoma | $39,890 | $32,982 | $29,760 – $61,490 | 1,930 |
| Alabama | $38,960 | $31,801 | $29,850 – $56,420 | 2,230 |
| Louisiana | $38,550 | $32,385 | $29,150 – $59,730 | 1,470 |
| Arkansas | $38,240 | $31,627 | $31,010 – $47,860 | 1,460 |
| Mississippi | $34,510 | $29,260 | $27,080 – $48,760 | 1,430 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a public safety telecommunicator make?
The national median salary for public safety telecommunicators is $53,040 a year ($25.50 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $37,320 and the top 10% earn over $79,830. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays public safety telecommunicators the most?
California has the highest median pay at $80,120. After taxes and local prices, San Francisco, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many public safety telecommunicators are there in the U.S.?
About 102,500 people work as public safety telecommunicators nationwide.
All 44 cities
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Birmingham, AL
- Boston, MA
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Hartford, CT
- Houston, TX
- Jacksonville, FL
- Kansas City, MO
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Orlando, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Providence, RI
- Richmond, VA
- Riverside, CA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- Worcester, MA