Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Amarillo, TX is $57,970/year ($27.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.82), which stretches that salary to about $63,134 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,106/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $58K get you in Amarillo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Amarillo’s Regional Price Parity (91.82). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About public safety telecommunicators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Amarillo
Public safety telecommunicators pay in Amarillo tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $53K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,106/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.82 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for public safety telecommunicators in metros near Amarillo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $58K | $57K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $50K | $51K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $50K | $53K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $62K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Amarillo, TX
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Public Safety Telecommunicators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $80K | +51% | 8,520 |
| Washington | $79K | +49% | 1,980 |
| Oregon | $72K | +36% | 1,110 |
| Alaska | $67K | +26% | 390 |
| Minnesota | $67K | +25% | 1,460 |
| Colorado | $64K | +20% | 1,800 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +18% | 1,820 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +16% | 2,790 |
| New York | $61K | +16% | 5,470 |
| Illinois | $61K | +15% | 4,350 |
| Nevada | $60K | +13% | 1,010 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | +13% | 1,820 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +13% | 270 |
| Vermont | $59K | +12% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $59K | +12% | 4,010 |
| District of Columbia | $59K | +11% | 60 |
| Maryland | $59K | +11% | 1,610 |
| Rhode Island | $58K | +10% | 370 |
| New Hampshire | $58K | +10% | 560 |
| Ohio | $58K | +10% | 4,550 |
| Maine | $57K | +8% | 730 |
| Hawaii | $57K | +8% | 170 |
| Iowa | $57K | +7% | 980 |
| Arizona | $57K | +7% | 1,790 |
| Utah | $54K | +2% | 880 |
| Michigan | $53K | +1% | 2,100 |
| Delaware | $53K | +0% | 260 |
| Idaho | $52K | -2% | 580 |
| Wyoming | $51K | -5% | 350 |
| Virginia | $50K | -5% | 3,050 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -5% | 750 |
| Florida | $50K | -5% | 6,090 |
| Texas | $50K | -6% | 7,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | -6% | 3,620 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -8% | 640 |
| Indiana | $49K | -8% | 2,150 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -10% | 420 |
| Montana | $48K | -10% | 560 |
| Missouri | $47K | -11% | 2,750 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -12% | 3,730 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -13% | 1,840 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -14% | 1,350 |
| Kansas | $45K | -15% | 1,370 |
| South Carolina | $44K | -18% | 1,490 |
| Georgia | $43K | -19% | 3,480 |
| West Virginia | $40K | -24% | 880 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -25% | 1,930 |
| Alabama | $39K | -27% | 2,230 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -27% | 1,470 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -28% | 1,460 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -35% | 1,430 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Amarillo numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Amarillo?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,106/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for public safety telecommunicators in Amarillo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,776/month. At HUD’s $1,106/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is public safety telecommunicator a high-paying job in Amarillo?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $53K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Amarillo compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Amarillo pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Amarillo, TX?
The median is $57,970 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,270, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $63,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Amarillo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,051/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,106/month, which eats 27.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a public safety telecommunicators salary go in Amarillo?
Amarillo has a Regional Price Parity of 91.82 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median public safety telecommunicators salary is worth about $63,134 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do public safety telecommunicators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.