Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Georgia is $42,790/year ($20.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $46,567 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in Georgia?
About public safety telecommunicators
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What this looks like in Georgia
Pay for public safety telecommunicators in Georgia runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 49.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for public safety telecommunicatorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary by metro in Georgia
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton | $50K | +16% | 60 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $49K | +15% | 1,670 |
| Warner Robins | $49K | +14% | 100 |
| Savannah | $46K | +8% | 110 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $46K | +7% | 150 |
| Gainesville | $43K | +1% | 50 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $41K | -5% | 30 |
| Valdosta | $39K | -8% | 50 |
| Columbus | $38K | -11% | 120 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $37K | -13% | 90 |
| Albany | $33K | -22% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
Compare to other states
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 49.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for public safety telecommunicators in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,909/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Georgia?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $43K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Georgia pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Georgia?
The median is $42,790 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,820, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $59,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,877/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 49.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a public safety telecommunicators salary go in Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $46,567 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.