Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in North Carolina is $46,550/year ($22.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $50,237 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 39.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in North Carolina?
About public safety telecommunicators
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for public safety telecommunicators in North Carolina runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 41.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary by metro in North Carolina
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $51K | +9% | 40 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $50K | +7% | 360 |
| Rocky Mount | $49K | +4% | 60 |
| Burlington | $48K | +3% | 70 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $48K | +3% | 830 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $48K | +3% | 230 |
| Jacksonville | $47K | +1% | 40 |
| Asheville | $47K | +0% | 110 |
| Greenville | $46K | -0% | 90 |
| Winston-Salem | $46K | -1% | 210 |
| Fayetteville | $46K | -2% | 120 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $44K | -6% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track public safety telecommunicators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 41.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,285/month. At HUD’s $1,284/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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $47K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
North Carolina pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in North Carolina?
The median is $46,550 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,080, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $59,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,112/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 41.3% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $50,237 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.