Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Macon-Bibb County, GA is $37,290/year ($17.93/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.53), which stretches that salary to about $42,121 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,307/month, about 51.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Macon-Bibb County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Macon-Bibb County’s Regional Price Parity (88.53). 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 Macon-Bibb County
Pay for public safety telecommunicators in Macon-Bibb County runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,307/month, which is 51.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.53 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for public safety telecommunicators in metros near Macon-Bibb County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $49K | $49K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $46K | $50K |
| Columbus | $38K | $42K |
| Savannah | $46K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Macon-Bibb County, GA
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $8K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Macon-Bibb County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 51.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,307/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 Macon-Bibb County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,153/month. At HUD’s $1,307/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Macon-Bibb County?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $37K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Macon-Bibb County compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Macon-Bibb County pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Macon-Bibb County, GA?
The median is $37,290 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,890, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $44,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Macon-Bibb County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,534/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,307/month, which eats 51.6% 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 Macon-Bibb County?
Macon-Bibb County has a Regional Price Parity of 88.53 (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 $42,121 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.