Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Kansas City, MO-KS is $51,940/year ($24.97/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.54), which stretches that salary to about $56,127 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,358/month, about 39.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Kansas City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kansas City’s Regional Price Parity (92.54). 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 Kansas City
Public safety telecommunicators pay in Kansas City tracks closely to the national median, $52K locally vs. $53K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,358/month, which is 38.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Kansas City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $56K | $59K |
| Springfield | $47K | $53K |
| Joplin | $45K | $53K |
| Columbia | $49K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas City, MO-KS
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $26K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 38.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,358/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,411/month. At HUD’s $1,358/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $52K locally vs. $53K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Kansas City pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Kansas City, MO-KS?
The median is $51,940 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,180, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $66,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Kansas City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,508/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,358/month, which eats 38.7% 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 Kansas City?
Kansas City has a Regional Price Parity of 92.54 (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 $56,127 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.