Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Kansas is $45,110/year ($21.69/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $50,380 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,066/month, about 34.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Kansas?
About public safety telecommunicators
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What this looks like in Kansas
Pay for public safety telecommunicators in Kansas runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,066/month, which is 35.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Kansas
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary by metro in Kansas
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan | $52K | +14% | 40 |
| Topeka | $49K | +8% | 90 |
| Wichita | $46K | +1% | 180 |
Compare to other states
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 35.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/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 Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,096/month. At HUD’s $1,066/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Kansas?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $45K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Kansas pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Kansas?
The median is $45,110 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,930, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $58,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,031/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 35.2% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $50,380 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.