Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Johnstown, PA is $45,100/year ($21.68/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.93), which stretches that salary to about $52,485 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,035/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Johnstown?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Johnstown’s Regional Price Parity (85.93). 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 Johnstown
Pay for public safety telecommunicators in Johnstown runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $53K. Rent runs $1,035/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.93 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 Johnstown, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $57K | $56K |
| Pittsburgh | $58K | $61K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $49K | $49K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $49K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Johnstown, PA
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $21K 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 Johnstown numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Johnstown?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 33.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,035/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 Johnstown?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,266/month. At HUD’s $1,035/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Johnstown?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $45K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Johnstown compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Johnstown pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Johnstown, PA?
The median is $45,100 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,760, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $58,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Johnstown?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,074/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,035/month, which eats 33.7% 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 Johnstown?
Johnstown has a Regional Price Parity of 85.93 (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 $52,485 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.