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Salary comparison

Public Safety Telecommunicators vs. Office Clerks, General: Who Earns More?

Public Safety Telecommunicatorss out-earn Office Clerks, Generals by $8K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Public Safety Telecommunicatorss land at $53,040 and Office Clerks, Generals at $45,010. The education gap is real: public safety telecommunicator programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while office clerks, general programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Public Safety Telecommunicatorss is California ($80,120); for Office Clerks, Generals it's District of Columbia ($55,040).

Public Safety Telecommunicators
Office Clerks, General
Median salary
$53,040
$45,010
Hourly rate
$25.5/hr
$21.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$37,320
$30,310
Senior level (90th %)
$79,830
$64,680
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
102,500
2,464,940
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Public Safety Telecommunicators median pay.

State
Public Safety Telecommunicators
Office Clerks, General
California
$80,120
$48,460
Washington
$78,850
$50,500
Oregon
$71,980
$49,910
Alaska
$66,660
$51,890
Minnesota
$66,550
$47,840
Colorado
$63,520
$53,550
Connecticut
$62,410
$48,280
Massachusetts
$61,720
$49,940
North Dakota
$59,940
$50,160
Vermont
$59,470
$48,310
New Jersey
$59,240
$48,570
District of Columbia
$59,080
$55,040
Maryland
$58,910
$47,270
Rhode Island
$58,310
$47,830
New Hampshire
$58,240
$49,020

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Public Safety Telecommunicatorss or Office Clerks, Generals?

Public Safety Telecommunicatorss earn more nationally. The median is $53,040 for Public Safety Telecommunicatorss versus $45,010 for Office Clerks, Generals, a difference of $8K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Public Safety Telecommunicators or Office Clerks, General?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Public Safety Telecommunicators or Office Clerks, General?

Public Safety Telecommunicators typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Office Clerks, General requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Public Safety Telecommunicatorss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Public Safety Telecommunicatorss at $80,120/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Public Safety Telecommunicators vs. Office Clerks, General pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Public Safety Telecommunicatorss earn $80,120 vs. $48,460 for Office Clerks, Generals. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Public Safety Telecommunicators salary breakdownView →Full Office Clerks, General salary breakdownView →Best cities for Public Safety Telecommunicatorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Office Clerks, Generals by take-home payExplore →How to become a public safety telecommunicatorsGuide →How to become a office clerks, generalGuide →