Public Safety Telecommunicators pay range in Santa Cruz
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $114,740 or more. The middle half of public safety telecommunicators in Santa Cruz earn between $67,340 and $102,550.
- $62K10th
- $67K25th
- $86KMedian
- $103K75th
- $115K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $88,570 | $7,381 | $42.58 |
| Median | $85,950 | $7,162 | $41.32 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $67,340 | $5,612 | $32.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $102,550 | $8,546 | $49.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Safety Telecommunicators pay in Santa Cruz vs. California and the U.S.
Public safety telecommunicators in Santa Cruz earn 9% more than the California average ($81,520) and 56% more than the U.S. average ($56,740). At the median the gap is +62% against the U.S. median of $53,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | $88,570 | $85,950 | $62,290 | $114,740 | 90 |
| 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 Santa Cruz
On the average salary of $88,570, a single filer in Santa Cruz takes home about $66,994 a year, or $5,583 a month and $2,577 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% 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 Santa Cruz a good place for public safety telecommunicators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Cruz area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.9), so the average $88,570 buys what about $80,594 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Cruz ($54,730). A typical home costs $1,157,157, or 13.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in other California cities
Santa Cruz ranks 3rd of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($116,260).
- 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 Santa Cruz: questions
How much do public safety telecommunicators make an hour in Santa Cruz?
$42.58 an hour on average, and $41.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public safety telecommunicators salary in Santa Cruz?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $67,340, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public safety telecommunicators take-home pay in Santa Cruz?
About $66,994 a year ($5,583 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $88,570. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do public safety telecommunicators earn more in Santa Cruz than elsewhere?
The average here is 56% 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (42100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- 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 1.42, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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