Public Safety Telecommunicators · Tennessee

Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary in Tennessee

Public Safety Telecommunicators in Tennessee earn a median annual wage of $46,390 —12.5% below the national median of $53,040. That ranks TN #41 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$46,390
Median hourly
$22.30
Entry level (P10)
$33,840
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$66,180
90th percentile
Employment
1,840
0.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-12.5%
U.S. $53,040

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$33,840
$39,480
$46,390
$57,920
$33,840$46,390$66,180
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $46,390.

Employment is only 0.85× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Tennessee.

Highest-paying states for public safety telecommunicators

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Tennessee is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1California$80,120$38.528,5200.71
2Washington$78,850$37.911,9800.84
3Oregon$71,980$34.611,1100.85
4Alaska$66,660$32.053901.82
5Minnesota$66,550$31.991,4600.75
6Colorado$63,520$30.541,8000.95
7Connecticut$62,410$30.001,8201.63
8Massachusetts$61,720$29.672,7901.17
9New York$61,450$29.545,4700.86
10Illinois$61,260$29.454,3501.08

Related occupations in Tennessee

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Tennessee.

Frequently asked questions

How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Tennessee?

The median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators in Tennessee is $46,390, or $22.30 per hour. That is 12.5% below the national median of $53,040.

What is the entry-level public safety telecommunicators salary in Tennessee?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $33,840 per year ($16.27/hour). The 25th percentile is $39,480.

How many people work as public safety telecommunicators in Tennessee?

About 1,840 people work in this occupation in Tennessee, or 0.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Tennessee a good state for public safety telecommunicators?

Tennessee ranks #41 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.85x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Tennessee.

Which state pays public safety telecommunicators the most?

California has the highest median wage at $80,120 per year, followed by Washington ($78,850) and Oregon ($71,980).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes