Public safety telecommunicators
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Public safety telecommunicators in the United States earn a median salary of $53,040 per year — about $26 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 105K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +3%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core tasks of this role—receiving digital inputs (voice, text, video), processing information according to protocols, and dispatching resources—are highly susceptible to AI automation and augmentation. While the high-stakes nature and need for human empathy provide a temporary buffer, AI's ability to transcribe, translate, and prioritize emergency calls in real-time will significantly restructure the occupation and increase individual worker productivity.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CABEST VALUE | $113,800 | Above avg (110.4) | $103,058 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $104,910 | Above avg (115.6) | $90,742 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $89,090 | Above avg (103.7) | $85,936 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $90,930 | Above avg (108.6) | $83,732 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $78,050 | Below avg (96.0) | $81,335 |
| Vallejo, CA | $87,250 | Above avg (108.5) | $80,430 |
| Anchorage, AK | $83,870 | Above avg (105.4) | $79,558 |
| Medford, OR | $80,620 | Average (101.4) | $79,481 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $85,950 | Above avg (109.9) | $78,210 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $78,030 | Average (100.1) | $77,968 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $84,410 | Above avg (108.8) | $77,584 |
| Rochester, MN | $70,140 | Below avg (90.8) | $77,229 |
| Mankato, MN | $70,190 | Below avg (91.0) | $77,170 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,160 | Above avg (105.4) | $76,987 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $80,690 | Above avg (105.1) | $76,783 |