Public Safety Telecommunicator salary in California
Public Safety Telecommunicators in California earn a median of $80,120 a year ($38.52 an hour), based on BLS data for 8,520 workers.
Pay ranges from $49,350 for the lowest-paid 10% to $108,650 for the top 10%. That is 51% higher than the national median of $53,040. California ranks 1st of 51 states for public safety telecommunicators pay, one of the best-paying states for this job. There are 0.47 public safety telecommunicators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.71). The average (mean) salary is $81,520, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for public safety telecommunicators in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,350 | $23.73 |
| 25th percentile | $64,250 | $30.89 |
| Median | $80,120 | $38.52 |
| 75th percentile | $96,660 | $46.47 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $108,650 | $52.24 |
| Average (mean) | $81,520 | $39.19 |
Half of public safety telecommunicators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,676.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,338.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,081.54 |
| Weekly | $1,540.77 |
| Hourly | $38.52 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Public Safety Telecommunicator salary in cities in California
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $113,800 | 400 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $104,910 | 1,110 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $90,930 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $87,250 | 200 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $85,950 | 90 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $84,410 | 90 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $83,840 | 150 |
| Napa, CA | $82,830 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $81,990 | 100 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $80,690 | 170 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $80,370 | 2,140 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $79,610 | 680 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $78,950 | 710 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $77,260 | 920 |
| Redding, CA | $74,570 | 70 |
| Yuba City, CA | $66,420 | 40 |
| Merced, CA | $64,570 | 120 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $64,550 | 40 |
| Chico, CA | $63,440 | 80 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $63,240 | 220 |
| Modesto, CA | $62,460 | 90 |
| Fresno, CA | $60,870 | 270 |
| El Centro, CA | $58,560 | 40 |
| Visalia, CA | $49,240 | 140 |
Highest-paying states for public safety telecommunicators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $80,120 |
| Washington | $78,850 |
| Oregon | $71,980 |
| Alaska | $66,660 |
| Minnesota | $66,550 |
| Colorado | $63,520 |
| Connecticut | $62,410 |
| Massachusetts | $61,720 |
| New York | $61,450 |
| Illinois | $61,260 |
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $46,520 | $22.36 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $63,000 | $30.29 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $62,090 | $29.85 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $52,350 | $25.17 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $57,690 | $27.73 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $59,490 | $28.60 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $45,730 | $21.99 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $44,970 | $21.62 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $63,650 | $30.60 |
| Meter Readers, Utilities | $79,040 | $38.00 |
| Office Clerks, General | $48,460 | $23.30 |
| Customer Service Representative | $49,560 | $23.83 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $55,400 | $26.64 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $59,230 | $28.48 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a public safety telecommunicator make in California?
The median salary for public safety telecommunicators in California is $80,120 a year, or $38.52 an hour. Pay ranges from $49,350 for the lowest-paid 10% to $108,650 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid public safety telecommunicators make in California?
The top 10% of public safety telecommunicators in California earn at least $108,650 a year. The top 25% earn $96,660 or more.
What is the starting pay for public safety telecommunicators in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $49,350 a year, and a quarter of public safety telecommunicators earn $64,250 or less.
How many public safety telecommunicators work in California?
About 8,520 public safety telecommunicators are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.