Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators is $53,040, or $25.50 per hour. About 102,500 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $80,120 in California to $34,510 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $80,120 | $38.52 | 8,520 | 0.71 |
| 2 | Washington | $78,850 | $37.91 | 1,980 | 0.84 |
| 3 | Oregon | $71,980 | $34.61 | 1,110 | 0.85 |
| 4 | Alaska | $66,660 | $32.05 | 390 | 1.82 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $66,550 | $31.99 | 1,460 | 0.75 |
| 6 | Colorado | $63,520 | $30.54 | 1,800 | 0.95 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $62,410 | $30.00 | 1,820 | 1.63 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $61,720 | $29.67 | 2,790 | 1.17 |
| 9 | New York | $61,450 | $29.54 | 5,470 | 0.86 |
| 10 | Illinois | $61,260 | $29.45 | 4,350 | 1.08 |
| 11 | Nevada | $60,040 | $28.86 | 1,010 | 0.99 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $60,000 | $28.84 | 1,820 | 0.94 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $59,940 | $28.82 | 270 | 0.97 |
| 14 | Vermont | $59,470 | $28.59 | 280 | 1.41 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $59,240 | $28.48 | 4,010 | 1.42 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $59,080 | $28.40 | 60 | 0.14 |
| 17 | Maryland | $58,910 | $28.32 | 1,610 | 0.89 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $58,310 | $28.03 | 370 | 1.12 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $58,240 | $28.00 | 560 | 1.23 |
| 20 | Ohio | $58,100 | $27.94 | 4,550 | 1.24 |
| 21 | Maine | $57,250 | $27.52 | 730 | 1.72 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $57,020 | $27.41 | 170 | 0.42 |
| 23 | Iowa | $56,770 | $27.30 | 980 | 0.95 |
| 24 | Arizona | $56,600 | $27.21 | 1,790 | 0.84 |
| 25 | Utah | $54,120 | $26.02 | 880 | 0.77 |
| 26 | Michigan | $53,310 | $25.63 | 2,100 | 0.72 |
| 27 | Delaware | $53,140 | $25.55 | 260 | 0.80 |
| 28 | Idaho | $51,780 | $24.89 | 580 | 1.02 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $50,600 | $24.33 | 350 | 1.89 |
| 30 | Virginia | $50,490 | $24.28 | 3,050 | 1.13 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $50,270 | $24.17 | 750 | 1.11 |
| 32 | Florida | $50,170 | $24.12 | 6,090 | 0.93 |
| 33 | Texas | $50,040 | $24.06 | 7,730 | 0.83 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $49,890 | $23.98 | 3,620 | 0.91 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $49,060 | $23.59 | 640 | 1.11 |
| 36 | Indiana | $49,050 | $23.58 | 2,150 | 1.02 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $47,900 | $23.03 | 420 | 1.39 |
| 38 | Montana | $47,640 | $22.91 | 560 | 1.67 |
| 39 | Missouri | $46,990 | $22.59 | 2,750 | 1.42 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $46,550 | $22.38 | 3,730 | 1.15 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $46,390 | $22.30 | 1,840 | 0.85 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $45,670 | $21.96 | 1,350 | 1.02 |
| 43 | Kansas | $45,110 | $21.69 | 1,370 | 1.45 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $43,540 | $20.94 | 1,490 | 0.98 |
| 45 | Georgia | $42,790 | $20.57 | 3,480 | 1.08 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $40,490 | $19.46 | 880 | 1.90 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $39,890 | $19.18 | 1,930 | 1.71 |
| 48 | Alabama | $38,960 | $18.73 | 2,230 | 1.60 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $38,550 | $18.54 | 1,470 | 1.16 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $38,240 | $18.39 | 1,460 | 1.70 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $34,510 | $16.59 | 1,430 | 1.87 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do public safety telecommunicators make?
The median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators in the United States is $53,040, or $25.50 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $37,320, and the top 10% earn $79,830.
How many public safety telecommunicators are employed in the U.S.?
About 102,500 people work as public safety telecommunicators nationwide.
Which state pays public safety telecommunicators the most?
California pays the most at a median of $80,120, followed by Washington ($78,850) and Oregon ($71,980).
Which state pays public safety telecommunicators the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $34,510.
Where are public safety telecommunicators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is West Virginia at 1.90×.