Public Safety Telecommunicators Salary
The median pay for a public safety telecommunicators in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA is $76,640/year ($36.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.35), that's roughly $76,373 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,131/month, or 21.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $77K get you in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Spokane-Spokane Valley’s Regional Price Parity (100.35). 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley
Spokane-Spokane Valley sits well above the national pay line for public safety telecommunicators, local pay runs about 44% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,131/month, 21.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.35) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Spokane-Spokane Valley offers a genuinely strong financial position for public safety telecommunicatorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for public safety telecommunicators in metros near Spokane-Spokane Valley, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $80K | $72K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $89K | $86K |
| Yakima | $63K | $66K |
| Bellingham | $76K | $74K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
Entry-level public safety telecommunicators (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $25K 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public safety telecommunicator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 21.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,131/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for public safety telecommunicators in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public safety telecommunicators typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,372/month. At HUD’s $1,131/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Local pay is 44% above the national median — $77K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Spokane-Spokane Valley compare to the national average for public safety telecommunicators?
Spokane-Spokane Valley pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?
The median is $76,640 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,200, and experienced public safety telecommunicators can clear $81,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,131/month, which eats 21.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a public safety telecommunicators salary go in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Spokane-Spokane Valley has a Regional Price Parity of 100.35 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median public safety telecommunicators salary is worth about $76,373 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.