Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Duluth, MN-WI is $64,010/year ($30.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers.
So what does $64K get you in Duluth?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Duluth’s Regional Price Parity (88.8). 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
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What this looks like in Duluth
Duluth sits well above the national pay line for public safety telecommunicators, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. Rent runs $1,232/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.8 (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 Duluth, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $69K | , |
| Rochester | $70K | , |
| St. Cloud | $60K | , |
| Mankato | $70K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Duluth, MN-WI
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $58K 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 states
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Duluth numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Duluth?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 29.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,232/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for public safety telecommunicators in Duluth?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,638/month. At HUD’s $1,232/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Duluth?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $64K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Duluth compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Duluth pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Duluth, MN-WI?
The median is $64,010 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,970, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $102,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Duluth?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,208/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,232/month, which eats 29.3% 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 Duluth?
Duluth has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median public safety telecommunicators salary is worth about $72,083 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.