Public Safety Telecommunicator salary in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Public Safety Telecommunicators in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area earn a median of $49,240 a year ($23.67 an hour), based on BLS data for 240 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,850 for the top 10%. That is 7% lower than the national median of $53,040. Pay here is 13% higher than the South Carolina statewide median of $43,540. There are 0.61 public safety telecommunicators per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $50,530, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for public safety telecommunicators in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,250 | $19.35 |
| 25th percentile | $46,810 | $22.51 |
| Median | $49,240 | $23.67 |
| 75th percentile | $57,960 | $27.86 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,850 | $29.74 |
| Average (mean) | $50,530 | $24.29 |
Half of public safety telecommunicators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,103.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,051.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,893.85 |
| Weekly | $946.92 |
| Hourly | $23.67 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $49,240 salary, see how much house you can afford in South Carolina at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Public Safety Telecommunicator salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $53,390 | 90 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $48,080 | 830 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $47,570 | 50 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $45,650 | 150 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $43,970 | 240 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $41,340 | 60 |
| Florence, SC | $41,040 | 90 |
| Columbia, SC | $40,930 | 220 |
Highest-paying states for public safety telecommunicators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $80,120 |
| Washington | $78,850 |
| Oregon | $71,980 |
| Alaska | $66,660 |
| Minnesota | $66,550 |
| Colorado | $63,520 |
| Connecticut | $62,410 |
| Massachusetts | $61,720 |
| New York | $61,450 |
| Illinois | $61,260 |
See Public Safety Telecommunicator pay in every state or the South Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $45,290 | $21.77 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $58,690 | $28.22 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $57,560 | $27.68 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $59,880 | $28.79 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $48,200 | $23.17 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $39,860 | $19.16 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $57,430 | $27.61 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $64,670 | $31.09 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $48,410 | $23.27 |
| Meter Readers, Utilities | $50,570 | $24.31 |
| Customer Service Representative | $44,000 | $21.15 |
| Office Clerks, General | $39,250 | $18.87 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $65,910 | $31.69 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,750 | $22.96 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a public safety telecommunicator make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median salary for public safety telecommunicators in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area is $49,240 a year, or $23.67 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,250 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,850 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid public safety telecommunicators make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The top 10% of public safety telecommunicators in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area earn at least $61,850 a year. The top 25% earn $57,960 or more.
What is the starting pay for public safety telecommunicators in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,250 a year, and a quarter of public safety telecommunicators earn $46,810 or less.
How many public safety telecommunicators work in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
About 240 public safety telecommunicators are employed in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area, not counting the self-employed.