Public Safety Telecommunicators pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $98,900 or more. The middle half of public safety telecommunicators in Santa Maria earn between $75,760 and $94,890.
- $48K10th
- $76K25th
- $84KMedian
- $95K75th
- $99K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $81,780 | $6,815 | $39.32 |
| Median | $84,410 | $7,034 | $40.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $75,760 | $6,313 | $36.42 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $94,890 | $7,908 | $45.62 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Safety Telecommunicators pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Public safety telecommunicators in Santa Maria earn about the same as the California average ($81,520) and 44% more than the U.S. average ($56,740). At the median the gap is +59% against the U.S. median of $53,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $81,780 | $84,410 | $48,290 | $98,900 | 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 Maria
On the average salary of $81,780, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $62,849 a year, or $5,237 a month and $2,417 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% 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 Maria a good place for public safety telecommunicators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $81,780 buys what about $75,167 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 12.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Safety Telecommunicators salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 8th 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 Maria: questions
How much do public safety telecommunicators make an hour in Santa Maria?
$39.32 an hour on average, and $40.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public safety telecommunicators salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $75,760, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public safety telecommunicators take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $62,849 a year ($5,237 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $81,780. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do public safety telecommunicators earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 44% 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 Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 0.71, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.71).
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