Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Ames, IA is $58,610/year ($28.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $65,980 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 29.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). 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 Ames
Ames sits well above the national pay line for public safety telecommunicators, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for public safety telecommunicators in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $64K | $70K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $58K | $65K |
| Sioux City | $52K | $60K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $63K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $17K 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 Ames numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for public safety telecommunicators in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,042/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Ames?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $59K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Ames compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Ames pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Ames, IA?
The median is $58,610 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,700, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $68,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,851/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 29.9% 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 Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (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 $65,980 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.