Public Safety Telecommunicator salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Public Safety Telecommunicators in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area earn a median of $84,410 a year ($40.58 an hour), based on BLS data for 90 workers.
Pay ranges from $48,290 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,900 for the top 10%. That is 59% higher than the national median of $53,040. Pay here is 5% higher than the California statewide median of $80,120. There are 0.47 public safety telecommunicators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.71). The average (mean) salary is $81,780, close to the median.
Pay range for public safety telecommunicators in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,290 | $23.22 |
| 25th percentile | $75,760 | $36.43 |
| Median | $84,410 | $40.58 |
| 75th percentile | $94,890 | $45.62 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,900 | $47.55 |
| Average (mean) | $81,780 | $39.32 |
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 | $7,034.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,517.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,246.54 |
| Weekly | $1,623.27 |
| Hourly | $40.58 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $84,410 salary, see how much house you can afford in California 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 |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $113,800 | 400 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $104,910 | 1,110 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $90,930 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $87,250 | 200 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $85,950 | 90 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $83,840 | 150 |
| Napa, CA | $82,830 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $81,990 | 100 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $80,690 | 170 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $80,370 | 2,140 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $79,610 | 680 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $78,950 | 710 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $77,260 | 920 |
| Redding, CA | $74,570 | 70 |
| Yuba City, CA | $66,420 | 40 |
| Merced, CA | $64,570 | 120 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $64,550 | 40 |
| Chico, CA | $63,440 | 80 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $63,240 | 220 |
| Modesto, CA | $62,460 | 90 |
| Fresno, CA | $60,870 | 270 |
| El Centro, CA | $58,560 | 40 |
| Visalia, CA | $49,240 | 140 |
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 California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $48,100 | $23.13 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $67,480 | $32.44 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $61,130 | $29.39 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $50,130 | $24.10 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $61,710 | $29.67 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $39,630 | $19.05 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $46,120 | $22.17 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $65,600 | $31.54 |
| Office Clerks, General | $55,620 | $26.74 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $51,800 | $24.90 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $60,170 | $28.93 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $76,370 | $36.72 |
| Customer Service Representative | $49,080 | $23.59 |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $49,730 | $23.91 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median salary for public safety telecommunicators in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area is $84,410 a year, or $40.58 an hour. Pay ranges from $48,290 for the lowest-paid 10% to $98,900 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid public safety telecommunicators make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The top 10% of public safety telecommunicators in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area earn at least $98,900 a year. The top 25% earn $94,890 or more.
What is the starting pay for public safety telecommunicators in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $48,290 a year, and a quarter of public safety telecommunicators earn $75,760 or less.
How many public safety telecommunicators work in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
About 90 public safety telecommunicators are employed in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.