Public Safety Telecommunicators pay in California
$81,520avg. a year
$39.19 an hour · 8,520 employed
Public Safety Telecommunicators in California earn an average of $81,520 a year. That is $24,780 (44%) more than the U.S. average of $56,740. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $116,260.
$80,120Median pay
$39.19Average hourly
+18%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for public safety telecommunicators by metro area. Swipe to see all 24.
1400 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$116,260
$55.90 an hour
21,110 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$102,130
$49.10 an hour
390 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$88,570
$42.58 an hour
480 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$88,310
$42.46 an hour
580 jobs
Napa, CA
$86,540
$41.61 an hour
6200 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$85,200
$40.96 an hour
7150 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$84,120
$40.44 an hour
890 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$81,780
$39.32 an hour
9100 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$81,100
$38.99 an hour
102,140 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$80,250
$38.58 an hour
11680 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$80,100
$38.51 an hour
12710 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$78,410
$37.70 an hour
13170 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$77,220
$37.12 an hour
14920 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$73,870
$35.52 an hour
1570 jobs
Redding, CA
$70,770
$34.03 an hour
1640 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$70,630
$33.96 an hour
1790 jobs
Modesto, CA
$67,270
$32.34 an hour
18270 jobs
Fresno, CA
$66,540
$31.99 an hour
1980 jobs
Chico, CA
$65,190
$31.34 an hour
20220 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$63,940
$30.74 an hour
21120 jobs
Merced, CA
$62,900
$30.24 an hour
2240 jobs
El Centro, CA
$62,500
$30.05 an hour
2340 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$59,140
$28.43 an hour
24140 jobs
Visalia, CA
$54,580
$26.24 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Public Safety Telecommunicators pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California public safety telecommunicators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $48k$48k–$56k$56k–$60k$60k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $56,740 | $27.28 |
| California | $81,520 | $39.19 |
| Oregon | $72,880 | $35.04 |
| Nevada | $61,580 | $29.61 |
| Arizona | $57,660 | $27.72 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do public safety telecommunicators make in California?
The average is $81,520 a year, and the median is $80,120. That is $24,780 (44%) more than the U.S. average of $56,740.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$39.19 an hour on average; the median is $38.52.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($116,260), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($102,130). The lowest average among 24 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($54,580).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 43-5031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national public safety telecommunicators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.