Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Idaho is $51,780/year ($24.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.88), which stretches that salary to about $55,156 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,136/month, about 33.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Idaho. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Idaho?
About public safety telecommunicators
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What this looks like in Idaho
Public safety telecommunicators pay in Idaho tracks closely to the national median, $52K locally vs. $53K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,136/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.88 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Idaho
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary by metro in Idaho
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coeur d'Alene | $61K | +18% | 30 |
| Boise City | $55K | +7% | 170 |
| Pocatello | $55K | +7% | 40 |
| Idaho Falls | $50K | -4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Idaho numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Idaho?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 32.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,136/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Idaho?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,602/month. At HUD’s $1,136/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Idaho?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $52K locally vs. $53K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Idaho compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Idaho pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Idaho?
The median is $51,780 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,360, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $75,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Idaho?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,475/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,136/month, which eats 32.7% 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 Idaho?
Idaho has a Regional Price Parity of 93.88 (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 $55,156 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.