Public safety telecommunicators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,320 | $17.94 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $53,040 | $25.50 |
| Mean (average) | $56,740 | $27.28 |
| 90th percentile | $79,830 | $38.38 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Public safety telecommunicators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,960 | $29,850 | $56,420 | 2,230 | 1.6 |
| Alaska | $66,660 | $47,340 | $103,020 | 390 | 1.82 |
| Arizona | $56,600 | $46,950 | $77,890 | 1,790 | 0.84 |
| Arkansas | $38,240 | $31,010 | $47,860 | 1,460 | 1.7 |
| California | $80,120 | $49,350 | $108,650 | 8,520 | 0.71 |
| Colorado | $63,520 | $48,250 | $83,750 | 1,800 | 0.95 |
| Connecticut | $62,410 | $49,290 | $78,810 | 1,820 | 1.63 |
| Delaware | $53,140 | $47,150 | $82,610 | 260 | 0.8 |
| District of Columbia | $59,080 | $44,480 | $67,540 | 60 | 0.14 |
| Florida | $50,170 | $37,060 | $77,820 | 6,090 | 0.93 |
| Georgia | $42,790 | $31,820 | $59,760 | 3,480 | 1.08 |
| Hawaii | $57,020 | $44,350 | $65,380 | 170 | 0.42 |
| Idaho | $51,780 | $43,360 | $75,560 | 580 | 1.02 |
| Illinois | $61,260 | $38,920 | $94,970 | 4,350 | 1.08 |
| Indiana | $49,050 | $38,730 | $63,660 | 2,150 | 1.02 |
| Iowa | $56,770 | $47,340 | $72,000 | 980 | 0.95 |
| Kansas | $45,110 | $34,930 | $58,960 | 1,370 | 1.45 |
| Kentucky | $45,670 | $29,770 | $59,060 | 1,350 | 1.02 |
| Louisiana | $38,550 | $29,150 | $59,730 | 1,470 | 1.16 |
| Maine | $57,250 | $44,800 | $74,280 | 730 | 1.72 |
| Maryland | $58,910 | $46,840 | $76,500 | 1,610 | 0.89 |
| Massachusetts | $61,720 | $48,470 | $79,470 | 2,790 | 1.17 |
| Michigan | $53,310 | $40,970 | $67,440 | 2,100 | 0.72 |
| Minnesota | $66,550 | $54,400 | $84,960 | 1,460 | 0.75 |
| Mississippi | $34,510 | $27,080 | $48,760 | 1,430 | 1.87 |
| Missouri | $46,990 | $35,810 | $62,100 | 2,750 | 1.42 |
| Montana | $47,640 | $39,310 | $61,270 | 560 | 1.67 |
| Nebraska | $50,270 | $39,670 | $65,320 | 750 | 1.11 |
| Nevada | $60,040 | $45,170 | $87,240 | 1,010 | 0.99 |
| New Hampshire | $58,240 | $45,810 | $70,600 | 560 | 1.23 |
| New Jersey | $59,240 | $46,080 | $79,040 | 4,010 | 1.42 |
| New Mexico | $49,060 | $38,240 | $62,000 | 640 | 1.11 |
| New York | $61,450 | $45,950 | $79,630 | 5,470 | 0.86 |
| North Carolina | $46,550 | $38,080 | $59,770 | 3,730 | 1.15 |
| North Dakota | $59,940 | $47,790 | $63,180 | 270 | 0.97 |
| Ohio | $58,100 | $38,490 | $69,980 | 4,550 | 1.24 |
| Oklahoma | $39,890 | $29,760 | $61,490 | 1,930 | 1.71 |
| Oregon | $71,980 | $53,750 | $96,530 | 1,110 | 0.85 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,890 | $39,350 | $64,370 | 3,620 | 0.91 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,620 | $21,840 | $28,290 | 120 | 0.2 |
| Rhode Island | $58,310 | $47,880 | $68,730 | 370 | 1.12 |
| South Carolina | $43,540 | $34,520 | $56,930 | 1,490 | 0.98 |
| South Dakota | $47,900 | $36,960 | $60,310 | 420 | 1.39 |
| Tennessee | $46,390 | $33,840 | $66,180 | 1,840 | 0.85 |
| Texas | $50,040 | $37,950 | $64,190 | 7,730 | 0.83 |
| Utah | $54,120 | $47,070 | $75,890 | 880 | 0.77 |
| Vermont | $59,470 | $47,520 | $73,500 | 280 | 1.41 |
| Virginia | $50,490 | $37,840 | $73,770 | 3,050 | 1.13 |
| Washington | $78,850 | $56,920 | $96,130 | 1,980 | 0.84 |
| West Virginia | $40,490 | $30,060 | $52,940 | 880 | 1.9 |
| Wisconsin | $60,000 | $46,430 | $74,970 | 1,820 | 0.94 |
| Wyoming | $50,600 | $45,100 | $69,720 | 350 | 1.89 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for public safety telecommunicators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 9,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for public safety telecommunicators
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Provide emergency medical instructions to callers.
- Question callers to determine their locations and the nature of their problems to determine type of response needed.
- Determine response requirements and relative priorities of situations, and dispatch units in accordance with established procedures.
- Receive incoming telephone or alarm system calls regarding emergency and non-emergency police and fire service, emergency ambulance service, information, and after-hours calls for departments within a city.
- Relay information and messages to and from emergency sites, to law enforcement agencies, and to all other individuals or groups requiring notification.
- Record details of calls, dispatches, and messages.
- Monitor various radio frequencies, such as those used by public works departments, school security, and civil defense, to stay apprised of developing situations.
- Read and effectively interpret small-scale maps and information from a computer screen to determine locations and provide directions.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- 911 system information databases
- Computer aided dispatch software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- Intrado SchoolMessenger
- Law enforcement information databases
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database
- National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System NLETS
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Persuasion.
Common job titles: 911 Dispatcher, Communications Officer, Communications Operator, Communications Specialist, Emergency Communications Dispatcher, Emergency Communications Operator (ECO), Police Dispatcher, Public Safety Dispatcher, Telecommunicator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do public safety telecommunicators make?
The national median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators was $53,040 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,320 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $79,830. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do public safety telecommunicators need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is public safety telecommunicators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of public safety telecommunicators to change +3.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 9,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay public safety telecommunicators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($80,120), Washington ($78,850), Oregon ($71,980). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.