SOC 43-5031.00

    Public Safety Telecommunicators

    Operate telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency assistance at 9-1-1 public safety answering points and emergency operations centers.

    Median pay
    $53,040
    Growth
    +3.7%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    9,000
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $37,320
    Median
    $53,040
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $79,830
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    102,500 people work in this occupation.

    What public safety telecommunicators do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Operate telephone, radio, or other communication systems to receive and communicate requests for emergency assistance at 9-1-1 public safety answering points and emergency operations centers. Take information from the public and other sources regarding crimes, threats, disturbances, acts of terrorism, fires, medical emergencies, and other public safety matters. May coordinate and provide information to law enforcement and emergency response personnel. May access sensitive databases and other information sources as needed. May provide additional instructions to callers based on knowledge of and certification in law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical procedures.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    56 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    32 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    44 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    32 / 100
    Conventional (C) · strongest
    75 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code CRS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Working with Computers
    97
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    95
    Documenting/Recording Information
    94
    Getting Information
    91
    Processing Information
    87
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    85
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    85
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    85
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    84
    Assisting and Caring for Others
    80
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Speaking
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Service Orientation
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Active Learning

    Knowledge

    • Public Safety and Security
    • Law and Government
    • English Language
    • Telecommunications
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Geography
    • Communications and Media
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Administrative
    • Education and Training

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Speech Clarity
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Selective Attention
    • Speech Recognition
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Written Comprehension
    • Inductive Reasoning

    Work styles

    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Confidence
    • Empathy
    • Achievement Orientation

    Also called

    911 Dispatcher · 911 Emergency Dispatcher · 911 Emergency Services Dispatcher · 911 Operator · 911 Telecommunicator · Alarm Operator · Ambulance Dispatcher · Call Person · Call Taker · Communications Dispatcher

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What public safety telecommunicators may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    12 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

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    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.