Public Safety Telecommunicator Salary in Riverside, CA
Public Safety Telecommunicators in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $77,260 a year — 46% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $59,209 take-home, or $4,934 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median public safety telecommunicator salary in Riverside, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,167
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,790
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,120
- California income tax$2,969
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,004
- Take-home pay$59,209
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.00% state
Public Safety Telecommunicator pay by experience in Riverside, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $54,970 | $26.43 | $44,286 | $3,691 |
| 25th percentile | $64,200 | $30.87 | $51,006 | $4,251 |
| Median (50th) | $77,260 | $37.14 | $59,209 | $4,934 |
| 75th percentile | $84,920 | $40.83 | $63,799 | $5,317 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $90,920 | $43.71 | $67,384 | $5,615 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $77,260 buys in Riverside, CA
Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median public safety telecommunicator's $59,209 take-home pay has the buying power of $55,626 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 about as common in Riverside, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.82).
Best-paying cities for public safety telecommunicators, adjusted for cost of living
Riverside, CA ranks #5 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 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 44 metros →
Public Safety Telecommunicator salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $104,910
- Sacramento, CA — $79,610
- San Diego, CA — $78,950
- Los Angeles, CA — $80,370
Frequently asked questions
How much does a public safety telecommunicator make in Riverside, CA?
The median public safety telecommunicator salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $77,260 a year, or about $37.14 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $64,200 and $84,920.
What is a public safety telecommunicator’s take-home pay in Riverside, CA?
On the median $77,260 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $59,209 a year ($4,934 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,973 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a public safety telecommunicator?
Pay here is 46% above the national median of $53,040. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $55,626 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #5 of 44 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford rent in Riverside, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 36% of a median public safety telecommunicator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Riverside, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $73,640
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $73,290
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks — $64,550
- Postal Service Clerk — $63,650
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $62,070
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $61,200
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — $58,470
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $57,470
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $56,640
- Information and Record Clerks, All Other — $56,290
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $55,610
- Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk — $55,310