Public Safety Telecommunicator Salary in Denver, CO
Public Safety Telecommunicators in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $68,620 a year — 29% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $54,793 take-home, or $4,566 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median public safety telecommunicator salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$6,266
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,254
- Medicare (1.45%)$995
- Colorado income tax$2,311
- Take-home pay$54,793
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.40% state
Public Safety Telecommunicator pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $52,500 | $25.24 | $42,762 | $3,564 |
| 25th percentile | $64,320 | $30.92 | $51,739 | $4,312 |
| Median (50th) | $68,620 | $32.99 | $54,793 | $4,566 |
| 75th percentile | $82,210 | $39.52 | $63,756 | $5,313 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $86,680 | $41.67 | $66,704 | $5,559 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $68,620 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median public safety telecommunicator's $54,793 take-home pay has the buying power of $51,798 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Public Safety Telecommunicator jobs are less concentrated in Denver, CO than nationally (location quotient 0.70), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for public safety telecommunicators, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #13 of 44 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $104,910 | $75,743 | $65,515 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $80,180 | $65,237 | $58,701 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $79,610 | $60,627 | $56,836 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $81,160 | $59,654 | $56,587 |
| 5 | Riverside, CA | $77,260 | $59,209 | $55,626 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $62,490 | $51,455 | $53,897 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $78,950 | $60,232 | $53,833 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,370 | $61,081 | $53,784 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $68,620 | $54,793 | $51,798 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 44 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a public safety telecommunicator make in Denver, CO?
The median public safety telecommunicator salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $68,620 a year, or about $32.99 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $64,320 and $82,210.
What is a public safety telecommunicator’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $68,620 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $54,793 a year ($4,566 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,311 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a public safety telecommunicator?
Pay here is 29% above the national median of $53,040. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $51,798 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #13 of 44 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median public safety telecommunicator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $79,120
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $68,020
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $65,080
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $64,760
- Postal Service Clerk — $61,570
- Financial Clerks, All Other — $61,090
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $60,680
- Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk — $60,440
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $59,880
- Loan Interviewer and Clerk — $59,140
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — $58,780
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $58,240