Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Louisiana is $38,550/year ($18.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $44,168 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 45.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Louisiana?
About public safety telecommunicators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for public safety telecommunicators in Louisiana runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 44.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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, Louisiana
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $51K | +32% | 80 |
| Baton Rouge | $49K | +26% | 240 |
| Lake Charles | $47K | +23% | 50 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $46K | +20% | 170 |
| Alexandria | $46K | +20% | 50 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $40K | +3% | 70 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $37K | -3% | 100 |
| Lafayette | $37K | -5% | 60 |
| Monroe | $35K | -9% | 60 |
| Hammond | $32K | -17% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 44.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,749/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $39K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Louisiana pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Louisiana?
The median is $38,550 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,150, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $59,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,656/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 44.8% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $44,168 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.