Public Safety Telecommunicators pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $159,540 or more. The middle half of public safety telecommunicators in San Jose earn between $103,770 and $141,780.
- $65K10th
- $104K25th
- $114KMedian
- $142K75th
- $160K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $116,260 | $9,688 | $55.89 |
| Median | $113,800 | $9,483 | $54.71 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $103,770 | $8,648 | $49.89 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $141,780 | $11,815 | $68.16 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Safety Telecommunicators pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Public safety telecommunicators in San Jose earn 43% more than the California average ($81,520) and 105% more than the U.S. average ($56,740). At the median the gap is +115% against the U.S. median of $53,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $116,260 | $113,800 | $65,400 | $159,540 | 400 |
| California | $81,520 | $80,120 | $49,350 | $108,650 | 8,520 |
| United States | $56,740 | $53,040 | $37,320 | $79,830 | 102,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $116,260, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $83,899 a year, or $6,992 a month and $3,227 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for public safety telecommunicators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $116,260 buys what about $105,286 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 13.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 24 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$116,260
- San Francisco$102,130
- Santa Cruz$88,570
- San Luis Obispo$88,310
- Napa$86,540
- Vallejo$85,200
- Oxnard$84,120
- Santa Maria$81,780
- Santa Rosa$81,100
- Los Angeles$80,250
Highest-paying cities for public safety telecommunicators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($116,260).
- San Jose, CA$116,260
- San Francisco, CA$102,130
- Santa Cruz, CA$88,570
- San Luis Obispo, CA$88,310
- Napa, CA$86,540
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Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in San Jose: questions
How much do public safety telecommunicators make an hour in San Jose?
$55.90 an hour on average, and $54.71 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public safety telecommunicators salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $103,770, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public safety telecommunicators take-home pay in San Jose?
About $83,899 a year ($6,992 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $116,260. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do public safety telecommunicators earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 105% more than the U.S. average for this job ($56,740).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 43-5031; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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