Public Safety Telecommunicators
Public Safety Telecommunicators (SOC 43-5031) earn a median $53,040 a year ($25.50 an hour) in the United States, with 102,500 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What public safety telecommunicators do
Public safety telecommunicators operate telephone, radio, and other communication systems to receive and pass on requests for emergency assistance in 9-1-1 centers, formally public safety answering points, and in emergency operations centers. They question callers to learn where they are and what is wrong, then judge the response needed and the relative priority of each situation. They dispatch units following established procedures and give emergency medical instructions to callers. Calls cover crimes, threats, disturbances, fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters, along with non-emergency police and fire service and after-hours calls for city departments. Telecommunicators relay messages between emergency sites, law enforcement agencies, and anyone else who needs to be notified, record the details of calls and dispatches, and monitor radio frequencies to follow developing situations. They read small-scale maps and computer screens to find locations and give directions, and some access sensitive databases. Certification in law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical procedures lets some give additional instructions to callers.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: 911 Dispatcher, 911 Emergency Dispatcher, 911 Emergency Services Dispatcher, 911 Operator, 911 Telecommunicator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.94 | $21.74 | $25.50 | $30.90 | $38.38 | $27.28 | 102,500 |
| Annual | $37,320 | $45,210 | $53,040 | $64,260 | $79,830 | $56,740 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where public safety telecommunicators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $23.73 | $30.89 | $38.52 | $46.47 | $52.24 | $39.19 | 8,520 | 0.47 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $49,350 | $64,250 | $80,120 | $96,660 | $108,650 | $81,520 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $27.37 | $31.97 | $37.91 | $40.69 | $46.22 | $36.76 | 1,980 | 0.56 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $56,920 | $66,500 | $78,850 | $84,640 | $96,130 | $76,460 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $25.84 | $29.40 | $34.61 | $40.09 | $46.41 | $35.04 | 1,110 | 0.56 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $53,750 | $61,140 | $71,980 | $83,390 | $96,530 | $72,880 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $22.76 | $27.84 | $32.05 | $40.16 | $49.53 | $33.61 | 390 | 1.20 | 1.82 |
| Annual | $47,340 | $57,900 | $66,660 | $83,530 | $103,020 | $69,910 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $26.15 | $30.16 | $31.99 | $37.48 | $40.84 | $33.53 | 1,460 | 0.50 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $54,400 | $62,730 | $66,550 | $77,960 | $84,960 | $69,740 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $23.73 | $30.89 | $38.52 | $46.47 | $52.24 | $39.19 | 8,520 | 0.47 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $49,350 | $64,250 | $80,120 | $96,660 | $108,650 | $81,520 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.25 | $21.46 | $24.06 | $28.94 | $30.86 | $24.80 | 7,730 | 0.55 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $37,950 | $44,640 | $50,040 | $60,200 | $64,190 | $51,580 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.82 | $21.63 | $24.12 | $29.46 | $37.41 | $26.32 | 6,090 | 0.61 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $37,060 | $44,990 | $50,170 | $61,270 | $77,820 | $54,750 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.09 | $23.90 | $29.54 | $32.19 | $38.28 | $29.79 | 5,470 | 0.56 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $45,950 | $49,710 | $61,450 | $66,960 | $79,630 | $61,970 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $18.51 | $22.80 | $27.94 | $30.44 | $33.65 | $26.69 | 4,550 | 0.82 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $38,490 | $47,430 | $58,100 | $63,320 | $69,980 | $55,510 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $31.44 | $49.89 | $54.71 | $68.17 | $76.70 | $55.90 | 400 | 0.35 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $65,400 | $103,770 | $113,800 | $141,780 | $159,540 | $116,260 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $28.88 | $39.52 | $50.44 | $58.04 | $65.80 | $49.10 | 1,110 | 0.47 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $60,070 | $82,210 | $104,910 | $120,710 | $136,860 | $102,130 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $33.16 | $37.86 | $43.72 | $48.96 | $48.96 | $42.46 | 80 | 0.64 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $68,960 | $78,760 | $90,930 | $101,830 | $101,830 | $88,310 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $29.94 | $36.81 | $42.83 | $42.83 | $42.83 | $38.99 | 90 | 0.68 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $62,270 | $76,570 | $89,090 | $89,090 | $89,090 | $81,090 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $32.11 | $34.34 | $41.95 | $46.89 | $48.41 | $40.96 | 200 | 1.39 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $66,790 | $71,430 | $87,250 | $97,520 | $100,690 | $85,200 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.16 | $23.40 | $29.54 | $35.94 | $39.59 | $30.28 | 5,760 | 0.61 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $46,100 | $48,670 | $61,450 | $74,750 | $82,350 | $62,990 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.83 | $25.38 | $32.20 | $39.90 | $47.46 | $33.56 | 2,730 | 0.61 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $39,170 | $52,800 | $66,980 | $83,000 | $98,710 | $69,800 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.66 | $32.56 | $38.64 | $45.47 | $48.39 | $38.58 | 2,140 | 0.34 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $49,220 | $67,720 | $80,370 | $94,580 | $100,640 | $80,250 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $21.64 | $24.14 | $28.02 | $30.58 | $35.04 | $27.74 | 1,870 | 0.46 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $45,020 | $50,220 | $58,280 | $63,610 | $72,890 | $57,710 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $23.41 | $23.98 | $27.38 | $30.56 | $35.66 | $27.78 | 1,750 | 0.61 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $48,700 | $49,890 | $56,960 | $63,570 | $74,170 | $57,780 | ||||
Top industries employing public safety telecommunicators
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 79.4% of public safety telecommunicators nationally (81,420 jobs) at a median $54,280 a year ($26.10 an hour), followed by State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (5.3%) and Other Ambulatory Health Care Services (5.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 81,420 | 79.4% | $54,280 | $26.10 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 5,400 | 5.3% | $60,840 | $29.25 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services NAICS 621900 | 5,390 | 5.3% | $46,390 | $22.30 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 2,580 | 2.5% | $48,270 | $23.21 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 2,540 | 2.5% | $48,220 | $23.18 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (102,500). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,670 for public safety telecommunicators in May 2021 and $53,040 in May 2025, with employment of 97,050 and 102,500.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,670 | $22.44 | 97,050 |
| May 2022 | $46,900 | $22.55 | 95,730 |
| May 2023 | $48,890 | $23.51 | 97,820 |
| May 2024 | $50,730 | $24.39 | 101,140 |
| May 2025 | $53,040 | $25.50 | 102,500 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $38.52 | $80,120 | $49,350 | $108,650 | 8,520 | 0.47 | 0.71 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $37.91 | $78,850 | $56,920 | $96,130 | 1,980 | 0.56 | 0.84 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $34.61 | $71,980 | $53,750 | $96,530 | 1,110 | 0.56 | 0.85 |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $32.05 | $66,660 | $47,340 | $103,020 | 390 | 1.20 | 1.82 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $31.99 | $66,550 | $54,400 | $84,960 | 1,460 | 0.50 | 0.75 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $30.54 | $63,520 | $48,250 | $83,750 | 1,800 | 0.63 | 0.95 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $30.00 | $62,410 | $49,290 | $78,810 | 1,820 | 1.08 | 1.63 |
| 8 | Massachusetts profile | $29.67 | $61,720 | $48,470 | $79,470 | 2,790 | 0.77 | 1.17 |
| 9 | New York profile | $29.54 | $61,450 | $45,950 | $79,630 | 5,470 | 0.56 | 0.86 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $29.45 | $61,260 | $38,920 | $94,970 | 4,350 | 0.71 | 1.08 |
| 11 | Nevada profile | $28.86 | $60,040 | $45,170 | $87,240 | 1,010 | 0.65 | 0.99 |
| 12 | Wisconsin profile | $28.84 | $60,000 | $46,430 | $74,970 | 1,820 | 0.62 | 0.94 |
| 13 | North Dakota profile | $28.82 | $59,940 | $47,790 | $63,180 | 270 | 0.64 | 0.97 |
| 14 | Vermont profile | $28.59 | $59,470 | $47,520 | $73,500 | 280 | 0.93 | 1.41 |
| 15 | New Jersey profile | $28.48 | $59,240 | $46,080 | $79,040 | 4,010 | 0.94 | 1.42 |
| 16 | District of Columbia profile | $28.40 | $59,080 | $44,480 | $67,540 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.14 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $28.32 | $58,910 | $46,840 | $76,500 | 1,610 | 0.58 | 0.89 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $28.03 | $58,310 | $47,880 | $68,730 | 370 | 0.74 | 1.12 |
| 19 | New Hampshire profile | $28.00 | $58,240 | $45,810 | $70,600 | 560 | 0.81 | 1.23 |
| 20 | Ohio profile | $27.94 | $58,100 | $38,490 | $69,980 | 4,550 | 0.82 | 1.24 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $27.52 | $57,250 | $44,800 | $74,280 | 730 | 1.13 | 1.72 |
| 22 | Hawaii profile | $27.41 | $57,020 | $44,350 | $65,380 | 170 | 0.27 | 0.42 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $27.30 | $56,770 | $47,340 | $72,000 | 980 | 0.63 | 0.95 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $27.21 | $56,600 | $46,950 | $77,890 | 1,790 | 0.55 | 0.84 |
| 25 | Utah profile | $26.02 | $54,120 | $47,070 | $75,890 | 880 | 0.51 | 0.77 |
| 26 | Michigan profile | $25.63 | $53,310 | $40,970 | $67,440 | 2,100 | 0.48 | 0.72 |
| 27 | Delaware profile | $25.55 | $53,140 | $47,150 | $82,610 | 260 | 0.53 | 0.80 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $24.89 | $51,780 | $43,360 | $75,560 | 580 | 0.67 | 1.02 |
| 29 | Wyoming profile | $24.33 | $50,600 | $45,100 | $69,720 | 350 | 1.25 | 1.89 |
| 30 | Virginia profile | $24.28 | $50,490 | $37,840 | $73,770 | 3,050 | 0.74 | 1.13 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $24.17 | $50,270 | $39,670 | $65,320 | 750 | 0.73 | 1.11 |
| 32 | Florida profile | $24.12 | $50,170 | $37,060 | $77,820 | 6,090 | 0.61 | 0.93 |
| 33 | Texas profile | $24.06 | $50,040 | $37,950 | $64,190 | 7,730 | 0.55 | 0.83 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.98 | $49,890 | $39,350 | $64,370 | 3,620 | 0.60 | 0.91 |
| 35 | New Mexico profile | $23.59 | $49,060 | $38,240 | $62,000 | 640 | 0.73 | 1.11 |
| 36 | Indiana profile | $23.58 | $49,050 | $38,730 | $63,660 | 2,150 | 0.67 | 1.02 |
| 37 | South Dakota profile | $23.03 | $47,900 | $36,960 | $60,310 | 420 | 0.92 | 1.39 |
| 38 | Montana profile | $22.91 | $47,640 | $39,310 | $61,270 | 560 | 1.10 | 1.67 |
| 39 | Missouri profile | $22.59 | $46,990 | $35,810 | $62,100 | 2,750 | 0.94 | 1.42 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $22.38 | $46,550 | $38,080 | $59,770 | 3,730 | 0.76 | 1.15 |
| 41 | Tennessee profile | $22.30 | $46,390 | $33,840 | $66,180 | 1,840 | 0.56 | 0.85 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $21.96 | $45,670 | $29,770 | $59,060 | 1,350 | 0.67 | 1.02 |
| 43 | Kansas profile | $21.69 | $45,110 | $34,930 | $58,960 | 1,370 | 0.96 | 1.45 |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $20.94 | $43,540 | $34,520 | $56,930 | 1,490 | 0.65 | 0.98 |
| 45 | Georgia profile | $20.57 | $42,790 | $31,820 | $59,760 | 3,480 | 0.71 | 1.08 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | $19.46 | $40,490 | $30,060 | $52,940 | 880 | 1.25 | 1.90 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $19.18 | $39,890 | $29,760 | $61,490 | 1,930 | 1.13 | 1.71 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $18.73 | $38,960 | $29,850 | $56,420 | 2,230 | 1.06 | 1.60 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $18.54 | $38,550 | $29,150 | $59,730 | 1,470 | 0.76 | 1.16 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $18.39 | $38,240 | $31,010 | $47,860 | 1,460 | 1.12 | 1.70 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $16.59 | $34,510 | $27,080 | $48,760 | 1,430 | 1.23 | 1.87 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (43-5030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-5031 Public Safety Telecommunicators.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-5031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-5031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.