Public Safety Telecommunicators pay range in Houston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,550 or more. The middle half of public safety telecommunicators in Houston earn between $47,650 and $60,200.
- $41K10th
- $48K25th
- $50KMedian
- $60K75th
- $64K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $52,530 | $4,378 | $25.25 |
| Median | $50,200 | $4,183 | $24.13 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,650 | $3,971 | $22.91 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,200 | $5,017 | $28.94 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Safety Telecommunicators pay in Houston vs. Texas and the U.S.
Public safety telecommunicators in Houston earn about the same as the Texas average ($51,580) and 7% less than the U.S. average ($56,740). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $53,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | $52,530 | $50,200 | $40,800 | $63,550 | 1,510 |
| Texas | $51,580 | $50,040 | $37,950 | $64,190 | 7,730 |
| 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 Houston
On the average salary of $52,530, a single filer in Houston takes home about $44,388 a year, or $3,699 a month and $1,707 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Houston a good place for public safety telecommunicators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Houston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.6), so the average $52,530 buys what about $53,260 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Houston ($49,410). A typical home costs $308,306, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in other Texas cities
Houston ranks 6th of 24 Texas metro areas for this job; Austin pays the most ($60,230).
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 Houston: questions
How much do public safety telecommunicators make an hour in Houston?
$25.25 an hour on average, and $24.13 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public safety telecommunicators salary in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,650, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public safety telecommunicators take-home pay in Houston?
About $44,388 a year ($3,699 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,530. Texas has no state income tax.
Do public safety telecommunicators earn more in Houston than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% less 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (26420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.70, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.70).
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