Public Safety Telecommunicator salary in Richmond, VA
Public Safety Telecommunicators in the Richmond, VA metro area earn a median of $53,390 a year ($25.67 an hour), based on BLS data for 520 workers.
Pay ranges from $44,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,560 for the top 10%. That is 1% higher than the national median of $53,040. Pay here is 6% higher than the Virginia statewide median of $50,490. There are 0.80 public safety telecommunicators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $54,660, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for public safety telecommunicators in Richmond, VA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,200 | $21.25 |
| 25th percentile | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Median | $53,390 | $25.67 |
| 75th percentile | $61,040 | $29.34 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,560 | $30.56 |
| Average (mean) | $54,660 | $26.28 |
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 | $4,449.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,224.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,053.46 |
| Weekly | $1,026.73 |
| Hourly | $25.67 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Public Safety Telecommunicator salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $61,260 | 1,320 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $52,020 | 470 |
| Roanoke, VA | $48,470 | 150 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $47,140 | 90 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $46,380 | 80 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $45,670 | 50 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $45,490 | 40 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $45,320 | 50 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $44,630 | 80 |
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 |
See Public Safety Telecommunicator pay in every state or the Virginia statewide figures.
Related jobs in Richmond, VA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $44,450 | $21.37 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,440 | $28.58 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $61,130 | $29.39 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $55,350 | $26.61 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $49,830 | $23.96 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $49,640 | $23.86 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $38,270 | $18.40 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $46,670 | $22.44 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $61,050 | $29.35 |
| Meter Readers, Utilities | $41,890 | $20.14 |
| Customer Service Representative | $42,660 | $20.51 |
| Office Clerks, General | $46,320 | $22.27 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $64,690 | $31.10 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,840 | $23.00 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in Richmond, VA
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 Richmond, VA?
The median salary for public safety telecommunicators in the Richmond, VA metro area is $53,390 a year, or $25.67 an hour. Pay ranges from $44,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,560 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid public safety telecommunicators make in Richmond, VA?
The top 10% of public safety telecommunicators in the Richmond, VA metro area earn at least $63,560 a year. The top 25% earn $61,040 or more.
What is the starting pay for public safety telecommunicators in Richmond, VA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $44,200 a year, and a quarter of public safety telecommunicators earn $48,250 or less.
How many public safety telecommunicators work in Richmond, VA?
About 520 public safety telecommunicators are employed in the Richmond, VA metro area, not counting the self-employed.